Another Girl Another Planet
by SpaceAnJL
Summary: COMPLETE. Please enjoy this fic responsibly. It contains violence, swearing and basic Jayne like behaviour.
1. Another Girl Another Planet

Disclaimer ; Not mine. Just playing. Don't sue. Joss is Boss.

Canon, post BDM, so spoilers. Chapter 1 Amended and Extended.

_In the man's own words - " Sex. Muscles. Humour. Thuggery." Some people like the new Han Solo, some people like the wookiee... _

1. Another Girl, Another Planet

Set down in Eavesdown Docks, again, near enough a year since Mal got himself in a swordfight there. And in similar fashion to that occasion, Badger had seen fit to 'invite' Mal and Jayne to discuss a little business. This consisted of the cocky little pissant informing Mal that he had already sent a cargo and its owner to _Serenity _with the assurance that Mal would provide transport out to a dirt-ass little moon he'd never heard of. Having folk wished in upon him by Badger not being at all to Mal's liking, particularly in view of their more recent history, he and Jayne were striding back to the ship.

"Last job we had off that _hun dan_ went bad, Cap'n."

"An' we left him sitting in the desert for it. Shoulda killed him, an' we didn't, so he owes us. Said as much - this deal's an apology."

"Paying us back got more'n one meaning, Mal. I don't trust the little turd."

"No more do I. I ain't traipsing one of Badger's _chou_ cronies across the quadrant just to deliver crates of bent engine parts or whatever gorram deal he's got going this time. Even his favours have a bad stench."

Jayne agrees.

"I remember the smell of them cows. Took me weeks to get the crap off my boots."

By the time they get back to _Serenity, _Mal is hot, dusty and has a full mad on. There's a deal of crates already carried up the gangway. Their owner turns and offers him a hand before he can really get shouting.

"Captain Reynolds? Pleased to meet you. I'm Ilargia Donovan."

Accent rather like Badger's, only classier. Small, clean woman, maybe Mal's age. Long overcoat, wide brimmed hat, neat little boots. Not at all what he is expecting, and he's shaking hands before his mind catches up with him.

Jayne barrels up behind him.

"So, we throwing this gorram pest off...woah."

Catches sight of her. She catches sight of him. Looks him up and down, then surprisingly, she grins.

"I'm sure you could throw me quite a long way, but that would be unkind." Tilts a glance at Mal. "Do I take it we have a problem doing business, Captain?"

"Don't like being surprised, is all."

"No more do I. Paid for my passage in good faith." Amused look is beginning to fade into something more steely.

Kaylee holds up a roll of bills. That always makes Mal feel more kindly disposed.

"I think we can talk terms."

"I assumed you had talked terms with Mr Badger. Transport of myself and cargo to Hecate, on payment of the given sum. Do you want to check my manifest?"

Jayne snorts. She gives him a cool glance, and his coarse grin fades. Mal takes the paperwork. Amusing as it might be to throw her off, and watch her go tear Badger a new one for it, which he don't doubt that she would do, business is business. And since Miranda, business ain't been too plentiful.

"Seems to be in order. Kaylee, would you escort Ms Donovan to a cabin?"

"Oh, sure, Captain."

Ilargia tips the brim of her hat with two fingers, walks up the stair after Kaylee. Jayne scowls after her.

"Since when do we run a shuttle service for stroppy little harpies?"

"Since they pay us good money to do so." Mal looks at the list again, eyebrows rising. "Seems we're transporting soft toilet paper and soap."

Response to that would need more than soap to make it clean.

Zoe pulls the skiff into the hold. She's been supply shopping. Eyes the crates; Jayne is lashing them into place, and cussing in a sullen mumble.

"We got a cargo, Captain?"

"We got a cargo, courtesy of Badger."

"Hmm." Looks at the boxes. Sniffs. "Smells better than some of them. Physically speaking. What's the hitch?"

"Wait'll you meet the owner." Jayne tightens the cargo webbing viciously.

"Just mad because she's not scared of you." River leans over the rail. Mal looks up at her.

"You stay clear until we know if she's trouble."

"Not to me." Grin. "Doesn't know me from a bar of soap."

"She?" Zoe raises her other eyebrow.

"Oh, she's real nice." Kaylee's rooting in the boxes for the kitchen supplies.

"Looks like a gorram Sunday School teacher." Everyone looks at Jayne. "What?"

"Concept of you and Sunday School." Simon shakes his head, takes the box from Kaylee. Mal ignores them.

"She's odd company for Badger, right enough. But we got paid in advance, so we got other places to be. You all got your jobs. Let's get gone."

Ilargia likes the feel of this ship. She's ridden a few scows in her time, and a few craft somewhat higher up the line, but this place feels solid. Feels like a home. Young woman - Kaylee - who showed her to the cabin, is so obviously proud of it. Despite the age of it, no grind from the engines, and their sky-jockey doesn't try to drive them through the deck plates on take-off.

Cabin is small, but clean, and the bed is comfy. She's taken her hat and coat off, and is sliding off her boots, when Mal knocks at the door.

"Ms Donovan?"

"Captain Reynolds."

"Came to see you had all you needed." When he's not scowling, Captain's got a pleasant face. "Crew will be taking a meal in a while, you'd care to join us?"

"Well, thank you. Actually, I was planning on an early night." She smiles, though. "Usual drill on board? Cabin and communal areas only, and hand in my weapons?" Smile becomes an outright grin at his expression. "I don't care for guns myself. And I don't aim to be a bother."

"I'm sure you don't." How in the 'verse did this woman end up doing business with Badger? Unless Mal misses a guess, that's not a Rim accent. Still, River doesn't feel a threat from her. "You done a bit of ship travel, then?"

"A fair amount. Mostly mid-bulk transporters in the way of business. Shipped out with a Captain Tanaka last year. Nice man, shame about his pilot."

"I always thought Petchko was a decent sort."

"I always pay my passage cash only, Captain."

Takes him a moment to realise, and then he's shocked.

"Gorramit, there's none of that on this ship."

"So Mr Badger assured me. He spoke well of you."

Now that don't quite ring true. Unless there's something else playing out here. Wishes Inara were here to tell him if she was gulling him. (Wishes Inara were here, full stop, 'stead of flitting about teaching other women how to break a man's heart and spirit.)

"Well, I'll wish you a good night, Ms Donovan. Maybe I'll see you at breakfast."

"Good night to you, Captain." Now, that man does have a truly charming smile. So Mr Badger was right. Despite the initial impression, Captain Reynolds is a gentleman.

Other one doesn't look like one, though. Not one (large, muscular) bit.


	2. Ain't Misbehavin'

2. Ain't Misbehavin'

The small woman bothers Jayne. He can't figure it - she don't look like nothing special, just...clean. An' she'd just tidied herself into her cabin, no big fuss. An' River hadn't gone nuts and torn the place up so that was probably an okay. Captain had looked in on her when she didn't show up for dinner 'cos he was soft like that with passengers, and she weren't hungry, which just left more for everyone else, so Jayne didn't see the fuss. Still, she bothered him.

She'd bothered him even more when she suddenly appeared out of the shadows by the stairwell he was sitting on. Even in them fancy boots, she walked near as quiet as the crazy.

"Ah. Um, hello. Would you direct me to the galley? Space travel makes me wakeful, and I've the need for a drink."

Hell, Jayne could get behind that notion. He'd shown her the kitchen, where stuff was, and she'd made tea, which was no drink for a man, 'cept then she'd put a shot of something out of a hipflask in the pot, and that was some powerful stuff, smoother and warmer than the rotgut he could usually afford.

He don't know what to say to her, exactly. But she smiled at him, settled with her cup, and it was fine just sitting. Asked his name, called him 'Mr Cobb'. Far as Jayne's concerned, no-one's ever called him that 'cept certain Federal Authorities. But it sounded fine, the way she said it. She'd treated him polite, and not 'cos he was big and armed. It was kinda like she was makin' fun, but letting him share the joke. He shifts on his bunk, hunches under his blanket. Green eyes watching him, an' pouring him tea like she was in her own kitchen. And long hair. Without that hat, turns out she has a braid of dark hair down past her shoulders.

Jayne has a thing about long hair on a woman. Something he can't explain. Just so damn sexy to have a mane of hair fall across your chest. And this hair is shiny clean. Dark brown, with a dash of red in it where the light hits. All tied back and safe and proper, but he'd bet that it was something wild when let loose.

Smile back over her shoulder as she wished him 'good night.'

She bothers him plenty.

0000

River has been aware of the new mind on board. She doesn't skullwalk - bad manners - but she looks for what the Captain asked for. The mind is open, cheerful, likes the ship, which will please Kaylee. Thoughts are trees and sky and mountains, strength of stones. Strength and muscles...

River blinks, backs out of that thought.

Ilargia opens her door, finds a girl watching her this time. Little dark-haired thing with huge eyes.

"Good morning. It is morning, isn't it?"

Child tilts her head, frowns.

"Diurnal measurements are meaningless unless applied to terrestrial bodies."

Okay. Factually accurate, but weird.

"Well, this terrestrial body reckons it's breakfast time."

Girl pulls a face, becomes suddenly human.

"My brother's cooking."

0000

There isn't really a great rush to breakfast. The good doctor, whilst willing, is no great shakes with a pan. Mal reckons that years of hospital canteen food have blunted his tastebuds. Still, he steps into the dining room, and stops, surprised. Their new passenger has appropriated a pinny she's found (it goes round her twice) and is stirring something that smells just fine to Mal.

"Hope you don't mind, Captain Reynolds, Simon said I might help."

Simon, who has basically just watched, has the grace to look a bit shamed, but with his face, it's kinda hard to tell.

There's a slightly undignified scramble to get served before Jayne gets stuck in. ("Oh, hey - fresh biscuits!")

In addition to the biscuits, there's a porridge with an unexpected kick of chillies, and something scrambled that she's managed to make taste of eggs. Leans over to put the coffee pot down, and she's wearing a tight vest - pictogram reads 'bad kitty', Jayne knows, 'cos he's reading it. Woman can cook.

"Way to a man's heart is through his stomach." River frowns. "Anatomically inaccurate."

"Working just fine for me." Mal makes a grab for the last biscuit, loses out to the longer reach of Jayne, who smirks at him.

"I like a man with an appetite." No calculation in it, but she over reaches for the plate, finds her balance on the nearest shoulder. Absolutely aware of each other in that moment, her smell of soap and her soft warmth against his hard muscle, and him, unmistakably male, sweat and gun oil. River sways, disorientated, unbelieving that nobody else can feel that, but conversation continues...He's watching her hips as she walks back to the kitchen, and she thinks he might be.

Comes back with a second batch of biscuits, which shows foresight, 'cos for damn sure nobody left any first time out. Slips into a chair at the side of the table, puts her between Kaylee and Zoe, and reaches to see if there's any porridge left.

Mal had it in mind to keep the Tams out of her way for the voyage, but she and River are having a real intense conversation about books. Woman's well-read. He just don't know what to make of her. She's clever, and while she's not got a scrap of Inara's beauty (who has?) she's no troll. Core folk, but lives Rim style - not the first woman he's met to do that, and there's the stab of guilty memory. Wonders about her story, if they'll ever know it all. Seems open enough with them, but he still can't square her with Badger - or Badger with a cargo of soap.

Captain does a fair job of nonchalance, but he's clearly curious about her. Mind you, she's curious about _Serenity. _Half the ship's crew seem to be babies, other half, a fighting force. Still, she's been living out here a while now, and should know not to be surprised by anything. (She's recognised the uniform elements Mal and the alarming Zoe wear; he's that Malcolm Reynolds.) Captain's a fine figure of a man and all, roguish charm and rugged looks, she'll admit to that, and she could have been tempted by that sort of thing on any other occasion. Except...

Kaylee is prepared to like Ilargia - she likes everybody, pretty much, even Jayne - but there'd been no denying just a whisper of unease, seeing her and Simon all cosy in the kitchen and all. Then Ilargia says she has a baby brother Simon's age, back on Londinium. Like it's no big deal, being as Alliance born and bred as you can get, and a very long way from home.

Zoe is keeping a wary eye on their new passenger. She's friendly and polite to everyone, but doesn't try and ingratiate herself, 'less you count the cooking, and that could be self-defence, some of the things come out of that kitchen. There's no obvious threat - but Zoe's still sore that that Saffron bitch got past her guard, and she doesn't trust easily.

She's a link to the world he left behind. Scared Simon to see her walk in with River, but they are doing nothing more alarming than talk books. She's...ordinary. Smart, but not a genius, cultured, but not Society. Jayne's snark at her looking like a Sunday School teacher wasn't too wide of the mark - he could see her as a teacher, or a bank clerk. River is at ease with her, which counts for a lot.

Jayne don't look at her, 'cept out of the corner of his eye. 'Course they all want to know what a classy woman like her is doing with lowlife like Badger. (Ain't nothing horizontal, though, he's willing to bet.) But all sorts of people got all sorts of reasons for being where they are, and not all of 'em's legal and decent. Soap seems harmless enough. The Doc has to come over all cultured, talking about fancy places, and it turns out their passenger is serious Central Planets, got a college education and smarts to rival his. But she ain't fussed with him...

River knows this dance. Two people not looking at each other, while their minds are shouting. Curious as to her choice - why the brute when the Captain is around? There's no poetry to the thug's simple soul.

Afterwards, whilst she's stowing the dishes, he comes up behind her. Walks quietly for a big man, but she knows it's him.

"That's my apron." he says.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"I don't mind none...Them biscuits were good."

"Jayne, quit bothering Ms Donovan." Mal yells. Jayne jumps, and scoots.

Ilargia looks after him thoughtfully. She's never been one for bad boys before, and that is the ultimate example. Big, rough, not at all a safe or sensible idea to go flirting with. He's crude, uneducated, probably the most dangerous person she's ever met. And damn but he's sexy. Hangs the apron back up with a sigh.

0000

River feels like a girl this morning, and dances along her catwalk. Cats have green eyes and they are intent on their prey. She cranes to see what the cat-lady is watching. Jayne is working out with his weights.

River nods. Mating ritual. Male displays to the female.

0000

She's watching him work out. Knows she shouldn't, but what's the harm in looking?

Oops. Quite a lot. He's seen her.

"You gonna come down and talk, 'stead of spying on a man?"

Doesn't sound angry, though. Sounds...hopeful.

"Are you inviting me into the cargo hold, Mr Cobb?"

"Reckon I am, then."

Makes a change from the crazy watching him. She always looks at him like he's something in a jar. He misses having someone to talk to when he lifts - Shepherd was right good company. But she don't look so prim in that little vest, and she was friendly enough last night...

Ilargia knows that this is a dumb thing to do. Though no dumber than sitting in a darkened kitchen in the middle of the night. She'd not been sure if he was a posted guard or not when she'd found him on the stairs. But he'd been a deal more civil than she might have expected. Tells herself sternly that big, sweaty, dangerous men are not attractive. (Much.)

Two slightly self-conscious smiles. Kinda like kids making friends at a party.

"So...how much are you lifting?"

0000

Walking into the lounge area, Zoe finds Kaylee peering avidly out at something. The mechanic is grinning fit to bust, waves her over.

"Come'n'see this."

Zoe peers out into the cargo bay, and her eyes go wide. There's Jayne, sitting on his bench and telling some long and boastful story. And there's Ilargia, leaning back on one of her own crates, listening and laughing in all the right places.

"I'll be..." For the first time in a while, she feels like smiling.

"Reckon he's sweet on her."

Zoe reckons that's because she's female and in front of him, but she knows Kaylee's a romantic. Looks down again at the pair. They are all used to Jayne and his horrible body urges. If their passenger is crazy enough to encourage them, she's old enough and smart enough to deal with it. Maybe.

Simon pokes his head out of the infirmary.

"What am I missing?"

"Jayne's courtin'." Kaylee tells him. Simon shudders.

"Shouldn't we rescue the poor woman?"

"And it's usually the Captain has the chivalrous impulses."

"It's a doctor thing. Alleviate suffering, you know."

To Kaylee's mind, it don't look like she's suffering. Kaylee don't pretend to be an expert on anything outside of the engine room, but she knows when people are flirting. Jayne looks at most women like they're a steak dinner, but Ilargia's looking at him like he might taste good, too.

0000

Mal always finds it odd that on a relatively small ship, he can contrive to find any bit of his crew but the bit he wants. ('Course, if you can't find River, it's 'cos she don't want you to, and no amount of looking will solve that.) Kitchen's empty, engine room is quietly turning over...even the infirmary is silent. But there's voices in the cargo bay, clash of metal.

He knows he's not going to like it.

Their passenger, in a pair of goggles, is squaring up to Simon, similarly attired, with a metal cleaning rod apiece. Darts forward and jabs him in the shoulder, to whoops of delight from the audience.

There's people having a gorram duel with engine parts in his cargo bay.

"What in the name of space is going on?"

Seems someone has been loose-lipped about a previous stop on Persephone, and once swords got mentioned, things got out of hand.

Ilargia pulls her goggles off, grinning, gives him an archaic salute.

"Looks like playtime's over. This mean I got to turn my weapon in?" Without her bootheels, woman's even smaller, turning up a pointed face to him. Not so clean and tidy now, flushed along the cheekbones. Watches the fun die out of her, and realises he's still scowling. "I apologise, Captain Reynolds. I certainly didn't intend to interfere with anyone's duties." Subdued, polite. "It was kind of you to spare the time, doctor. I won't take any more of it." She puts the rod down, looks around for her boots. Big hand scoops them up for her. "Thank you, Mr Cobb. I'll take myself back to a more appropriate location. Ladies, gentlemen, Captain."

Mal feels like he's smacked a kitten, way his crew are looking at him. Only weapon that woman should hand in is her tongue.

"Aw, she didn't hurt him none, Mal." Unexpected champion. A bit of a swingaround in Jayne's attitude there; Mal reckons it's the breakfast talking.

"Din't mean no harm, Cap'n." says Kaylee timidly.

"It's my fault for suggesting it." Simon stops peering inside his shirt.

So now he feels like a bully and a martinet.

"Just wondered what was going on, is all." Tries to keep his voice mild. "Don't like people waving bits of metal around. Makes me all kinds of uncomfortable."

"So I would imagine." Ilargia wonders if she dare venture a smile. Perhaps not.

"Where d'you learn to swordfight, anyhow?"

"Oh, I used to at college, but I'm rusty as hell, now." Still looked fast and nasty to Mal. "I really didn't mean to challenge your authority, Captain."

Jayne's pissed. First off, woman was keeping him company - an' she ain't stuck up, cleaned up some of his stories for her, and she laughed at 'em, too. Then everyone else turns up. Like he can't be trusted, or something.

Everyone sharin' their tales of journeys past. Kaylee is mad for tales of the Central Planets. Ms Donovan has few mighty fine tales of her own, involving what she calls 'riotous student behaviour' and Jayne thinks of as plain drinkin' and fightin'. An' then she gets to beating Simon's ass round the deck with a cleaning rod. Jayne enjoyed that just fine. Woman's fast on her feet, clipped him good a couple of times, not to hurt, but she's making him look silly.

An' then Mal has to go and spoil it. Poor little thing looks scared to death, way he's scowling. Still, she ain't scared of him. Normally, this would mean intimidating behaviour until the person concerned was scared of him, but he'd rather she came back and watched him lift, talked to him some more. Hell, cooked for him some more, too.

0000

Ilargia thinks it prudent to remain conspicuously in the dining area for a while. She's not quite convinced by Kaylee's assurances that the Captain isn't angry any more. Her body clock is still shot all to hell. Sound of the engines is soothing...

0000

Mal has a fair idea of who might have been shootin' their mouth off. Finds him hanging about near the kitchen, which is not unusual at any time. Gets right up behind him before the big man notices, which is unusual.

Ilargia is sleeping in one of the chairs, and Jayne has his stare on, which is not something anyone deserves to wake up to. Mal taps him on the shoulder, dodges back hastily, as Jayne whirls round in a fighting crouch.

"Gorramit, Mal, don't go creepin' up on a man like that, it ain't healthy."

"Need a word with you, Jayne."

Reluctantly, his merc grumbles down the corridor after him, until Mal thinks they are out of earshot.

"What was she doing in that cargo bay, first off?"

"I invited her."

"Why?"

"We were talking." Hitches a shoulder. "Weren't no harm in it."

"Talking?" Mal blinks. "You ain't to bother that woman, _dong ma_? She's a guest on this ship, and I'm not having you cause trouble."

"Keeping an eye on her, 'case she's a problem, Cap'n." Jayne's trying for virtuous. And failing.

"You're stalking her, Jayne. I find you've laid a finger on her..."

"Hell, I ain't no rapist, Mal. A woman don't want a piece of me, that's her loss." He looks quite hurt. Concept of Jayne having feelings to hurt is a novel one. "She said I bin bothering her?"

"No..." Mistake. The big face uncrumples.

"S'okay, then."

"No, it ain't. You don't want to find yourself chained in the storage locker for the duration, you behave and tread careful."

"I got manners." Digs in a pocket. "An' I'm always careful."

Mal looks at the proffered foil packets with a numb horror.

"Just...don't bother her."

He makes it back to the bridge, shaking his head. River rolls her eyes.

"She likes him, too."

If that was so, then the woman was crazier than their fly-girl. Mal winces, as River glares at him.

"He's the lunatic." (There are days when Mal wishes his co-pilot couldn't read minds. And that she made sense.) "Lonely since the preacher went. Lonely before. Never noticed except as dirt and bullets. Put in eclipse by the new sun." A long speech for River, but someone has to state the obvious. "Hard on a man, being a lone star."

"You saying he's found himself a moon to orbit?"

"Yes." River's grateful that someone sees what she does. So hard to keep it focused. "Doesn't see him through our eyes."

"Doesn't know he's mean, untrustworthy cuss, you mean?"

0000

Kaylee is shaking her awake gently.

"You're gonna get a crick in your neck like that."

"Ah...oh, hell, was I drooling or something?"

"No. Looked kinda sweet. Leastways, your shadow thought so." Kaylee grins.

Ilargia goes bright red.

"Is he this suspicious of all your passengers?"

"Don't think he's suspicious." Kaylee's still grinning. "You want a tour of the rest of the ship?"

"If it doesn't involve the Captain snarling at me again."

"Aw, I think he was just sore he didn't get invited to play."

"Well, I'll beat him up next time, if you think it will help..." Wry tone makes Kaylee laugh, as they wander down the corridor.

So the dining room is empty when Jayne makes it back there.

0000

Ilargia's been impressed with the sharpness of the kitchen blades, and she's not too surprised when she comes across him sharpening them. It would be him doing a job like that. Practical and dangerous. Watches the big hands, deft and deadly. Something about the way they handle the knives makes her shiver, and it isn't fear. She's been watching him for a minute or two before he half-turns his head, and she knows he's been aware of her.

"Cap'n says I ain't to bother you."

"If I was bothered, you'd know." Doesn't quite dare to touch him, but the brush of her fingers past his bicep makes him relax into a slow, wicked smile.

"Reckon we'd all know."

"Now, would it bother you if I sat here?"

"Don't bother me at all."

Conscious of her watching him as he strokes the blade down the steel. Not tryin' to be suggestive, just comes out that way. She hesitates, bites her lip.

"I can never get the edge to stay on my kitchen knives. If it's not a problem...could you teach me?"

"Be a pleasure."

Learns quick. Don't hold the blade like she's afraid it'll bite her. Stands behind her, shows her how to hold the steel. Small hands are lost in his.

Room seems to have got a little...warmer. Kinda...close, as it were. Step outside the door puts Jayne back in his own seat in a scramble. Ilargia hides a smile.

Simon is completely freaked out by the whole thing.

"He's sharpening knives at her like it's some kind of..."

"Foreplay?" suggests River. She's lying on her bunk, drawing. Spares him half a glance. "You're the doctor. Studied biology."

Her brother really is too stupid to live.

0000

Come the evening, Zoe has a fair idea of what she's going to find when she gets to the kitchen. And she does. Except it's Jayne at the stove, and Ilargia watching him.

"...Picked this recipe up on Santo, only they use fresh garlic there. Trick's in the sauce."

Now Zoe knows Jayne can cook - unlike her, he grew up planetside with real food - but she's never bothered to ask where he learnt to. And she's not seen him this chatty before.

"Aren't I supposed to be cooking this evening?" she murmurs quietly to him, as she gets a drink.

"Well..." He shuffles, "I know you don't like to, and..."

"...and you wanted to show off a little." Not often Zoe grins at him. Cautiously, he half-grins back.

Wasn't planning on a gorram audience, but she settles in, with that smirk of hers.

Ilargia walks carefully round Zoe. That's one lady could snap her in half without sweating, and would, she puts one foot wrong on this ship. So she looks a little wary when Zoe turns her dark gaze sideways, says quietly,

"You know you're setting up some trouble with that man?"

She doesn't pretend to misunderstand, keeps her voice equally low.

"Not aiming for trouble from anywhere, Ms Washburne. Certainly wasn't expecting trouble like that to come my way." Cool gaze. "My sole intention was to get on a ship and take myself home. Fact you folks are a friendly crew's just a bonus."

"He could be a bit more friendly than you might care for. Not what you might be used to."

Now one thing Zoe does know is that Jayne ain't a rapist. She'd have shot him out of hand, she had any doubt on that score. Feels a mite bad portraying him as some kind of beast, but she wants to make sure the woman understands what she could be playing with.

There's sudden old pain in Ilargia's eyes.

"Appreciate the heads up, but...well, had me enough of so-called 'civilised' men. Spending time just talking, to a man makes me laugh and makes me feel good. He's not what I'm used to, no."

Zoe remembers. A cheerful grin, an appalling shirt, light and colour and fun after the horror of war.

"Sometimes they just blindside you." she says softly.

"Do they ever." Ilargia ventures a smile. "I'm a good girl from Londinium, and I shouldn't be chasing bad men at my age."

"Don't think you have to chase that one."

"Does kinda stand there, doesn't he?" Serious look. "Day or two, you drop me off on Hecate, and we're done. I don't aim to stir anything that won't settle again."

Zoe is puzzled by Ilargia's taste in men - Jayne's an ugly untrustworthy collection of bad habits as far as she's concerned - but the woman offers no threat to _Serenity _that she can see. Still bears watching, though, if only for the entertainment value.

Jayne has that look of a man who can see women talking, knows it's about him, and can't quite make out the detail. An' them smiling at him don't quite reassure as much as it could. But he don't burn the dinner, an' he gets to sit opposite her, an' everyone is all kinds of complimentary, which don't happen often.

An' she's gonna teach Kaylee how to make those biscuits come morning.


	3. Stuck in the Middle with You

3. Stuck in the Middle With You

Simon and Kaylee offer to do the dishes. Ilargia watches them.

"They're a sweet pair of kids, aren't they?"

Mal reckons Simon hasn't been called 'kid' in years. River laughs.

"Don't know if the Doc would thank you for that, Ms Donovan." says Mal. Jayne's choking happily, storing that one away.

"Oh, I know. Bless him." She stands. "Would you mind if I made tea?"

Mal is going to show her where the tea things are, but she's already reaching up. Crew mostly drink coffee - tea was Inara's preserve. Gives him a strange feeling to see someone else using the pot. She had her own special set for clients, but this was one that got used when she sat at table with them...

Inara was always so neat and graceful, so damn poised. Can't imagine her running about the cargo deck in bare feet, waving a cleaning rod.

Gives Jayne an odd jolt, watchin' her make tea for other folks. Like a punch he wasn't expecting. Been turning over the memory of sitting in the kitchen with her, quiet like in his mind, through the day. Like he told Mal, he's got manners; his ma taught him good, and just 'cos there's little call for 'em in the normal run of things don't mean he's forgotten. An' it was kinda nice to sit, without having to act mean.

Always reckoned on Core folks being different somehow. The crazy ain't no guide, course, but her brother...Jayne didn't like him from the get go. Made him feel stupid and dirty and foul-mouthed. Which was by way of being so, but still...Seemed to be their way, all clean and clever, and the rest of the 'verse just dirt to be stood on. But Ms Donovan - Ilargia - she seems like regular folk. Smart and classy, but not stuck up, ready to sit and talk with a man, without treating him like he's gonna jump at her.

'Course, she don't seem like she might mind if he did jump at her, but Mal's been most specific about what will happen if there's trouble.

Ilargia's at home in the kitchen, quick assured movements, no ritual grace. She catches Mal's look, laughs.

"The only tea ceremony I have any patience with is 'milk or lemon?'"

He can't figure if she means anything by that.

"You don't drink coffee, then?"

"Oh, I prefer tea."

"An' besides, coffee makes you a crazy person." Jayne puts in suddenly.

"I should never have told you about that." She points at him, mock stern. Mal's lost. Jayne's grin widens.

"Oh, it's a good little tale, Mal..."

"Don't you dare..."

"...involving a man ended up wearing his dinner."

"It could happen again, Mr Cobb." She laughs at him, with him.

"What's with this 'Mr Cobb' business?" Mal's amused.

"Remnants of a polite upbringing, Captain. You might try it sometime." She's pouring Jayne tea. Remembers how he likes it, too, shot and sugar.

"Aw, hell. Told you before, call me Jayne. Most everybody does."

Mal knows he's missed something. And he had to pour his own drink. Sniffs the flask.

"Hnng. What the hell is this stuff?"

"My own home brew. Exported without licence and deeply illegal."

Woman's full of surprises. Mal's waiting for one to turn sour on him. Jayne's entranced. Woman who can cook and has her own still. Fact that she's a curvy little armful with long hair and wicked eyes don't hurt neither.

Everyone is picking up on the after dinner cabaret now, settling themselves with cups and quiet grins. Zoe takes a sniff of the flask, sticks with her coffee. Ilargia grins at her.

"You can clean guns with it, too."

"Seems an odd hobby for Core folk."

"Some people juggle geese." Zoe gives River a hard look, but she's waving her fingers through the steam from her cup.

"It ain't a skill I'd expect to find. Learn that at your college, too?" Mal's fishing.

But she smiles at him, balancing her tea bowl in both hands and regarding him over it. Never met a woman with eyes that green.

"You want to know about me, Captain Reynolds, all you have to do is ask. Whole life is an open screen."

"Just can't figure how a lady such as yourself ends up on the raggedy edge, is all."

"It isn't a story worth much. I was born into a world with a few too many rules and expectations, decided I could do with a few less. I was supposed to study economics and political theory at college, go into government service. But I got interested in history." There's cool intelligence watching him. "I got very good at working out what wasn't being said. War never touched me, but I didn't agree with it. I have a little problem with overbearing authority."

Woman is starting to remind Mal most powerfully of Nandi, which is something he don't care for.

"Are you going to be a problem to me and mine, Ms Donovan?"

"Aim not to be. Day or so, you drop me off on Hecate and our business is done. I'd rather we were friendly 'til then. Besides," suddenly, she's smiling past him, "your security officer takes his job seriously."

"My..." Mal turns in his seat. Sight of his mercenary not meeting anyone's eye.

Security Officer. He's never had a title before. Always been 'crew'. On hand to dish out bullets or beatings as required. Do the heavy lifting. Ain't a problem - he likes fighting just fine - but a man likes to be appreciated.

Ilargia yawns suddenly, laughs.

"My body clock is still completely buggered...I'm going to have to go to bed. Goodnight." Gets to her feet. "Well, I'll see you all in the morning...or whatever passes for it out here."

Way Jayne's watching after her don't sit well with Mal.

Long as Mal's known the man, he's chased women most places they've been. But, putting it bluntly, they've been there for the chasing, and damn easy to catch for the right price. Prim little creature like her shouldn't even register. (Mal likes graceful dancers, and he's too wrapped in his own mind to notice a fall of soft hair, or eyes that don't look past a man.) 'Stead of which, great lunk is following her about like a gorram pet. He gives Jayne a quizzical look.

"Security Officer?"

"S'just her joke." Jayne growls. "Don't want her thinkin' I'm nothing but a violent, mannerless oaf."

Mal stares at him.

"You are nothing but a violent mannerless oaf, Jayne."

"I know, but I don't want her thinkin' that."

"Are we gonna need another little talk, Jayne?"

"Nope."

"What I gather, she ain't too keen on getting friendly with crew."

"Petchko's a _chou sha gua._" Jayne puts his cup down. "I'm gonna have a little talk with him next time we cross paths."

Man's gone from sullen tolerance to knight errant in the space of a day.

"How d'you get hold of that piece of tattle?"

"She told me, dumbass. Likes us a helluva lot more'n Tanaka's crew, an' all. 'Cept maybe you."

"Thinks you're a hardass." says River cheerfully. In all senses. Doesn't say what else Ilargia was thinking. Doesn't think the Captain would approve of the thought about his pants. "Likes him, though. Thinks he's...interesting."

"That'll be one word for it." Mal's entertained. Jayne ain't. Precious few secrets on a ship, 'specially with the crazy. Doesn't want people making fun, is all.

"She's a real nice little woman."

"I'm not sure you presenting her with your kills is quite as charming as you might believe, though." Simon pours himself another coffee.

Jayne scowls at him.

"Ain't presented her with nothin'. She likes my stories fine." Scowl becomes a nasty grin. "Kid."

Simon's turn to scowl.

"Jayne's got a cru-ush." sings Kaylee.

"Never known you interested in just talking to a woman before." Zoe joins in.

Jayne gets to his feet.

"Me an' Ms Donovan get on just fine, without everyone else hornin' in. You all got smutty minds, is what." Stomps off to his bunk.

Kaylee bites her lip, 'cos giggling would be bad.

"Has Jayne Cobb just accused us of havin' low minds?" Zoe shakes her head, and there is almost the beginnings of a smile there.

"World must be endin'." Mal agrees.

Has a little idea in mind, to put a spoke in Jayne's wheel, come the morning.

0000

Zoe looks at Mal's grin.

"You made him to do the septic vacuum?"

"Yep."

"The job we were waiting to do when we had to lift off?"

"Yep."

"The job that'll make him smell really bad?"

"Yep."

"That is...all kinds of evil. You are psychotic."

Mal's cheerful response to that dies in his throat. Zoe turns her head to see what has ruined his day.

The Alliance Customs cruiser is not inconspicuous, hanging in space like a whole heap of ugly.

0000

Jayne is doing the job properly. Getting blown out the side of the ship in a cloud of frozen piss ain't high on his 'to-do' list. But he knows that Mal is punishing him for something - just can't quite figure out what. Seems like no-one can put a foot right on board since 'Nara left. Reckons Mal should take some time out to get himself...

Something huge out past the side of the ship, all sorts of lights and alarms, and he nearly adds to the whole load.

0000

There's a hard fought chequers game in progress. Simon's got Ilargia on the run, but Kaylee's catching him up. River's winning, of course.

Proximity alarm causes them all to pause, heavy metallic thump of docking. Zoe comes into the lounge, stone face giving nothing away as ever.

"Ms Donovan, will you come to the cargo bay?"

River can feel confusion and apprehension, begins to get restless. Simon soothes her, shoots a worried look at Kaylee.

"No time for a space walk - have to duck out - lock a shuttle down." Mal says, quick and quiet, striding past. Collects Ilargia by an elbow, makes her miss a step.

Time to find out what kind of _go se_ Badger's dropped them in this time.

0000

Boarding party consists of three men in smart uniform. And a half dozen guns poking round the door frame.

"Man would like a word." says Mal tightly, "Captain Chang..."

"Patrick Chang?"

She's out of his grip, striding forward. Man's tight official mask cracks into a smile.

"Gia, I thought it had to be you."

They're...hugging?

0000

Mal's been left standing on the deck like a gorram spare part. The guns and goons have all taken themselves away, 'cos it's turned into some rutting mutual admiration society.

Captain's showing his bars, and she's admiring them, buffs them with her cuff.

"I see you got a promotion. Does this mean I can hitch a lift with you next time, instead of paying commercial rates?"

"No, it does not. Are you still living out on Hecate?"

"That I am, as I'm sure it says on the little file you have. But Hecate, beautiful and bucolic as it is, lacks certain things that make life worth living, so yours truly has been doing the groceries...for the whole damn town."

The tone is just right, wry and funny. Captain Chang sniggers.

"I have the manifest. These are all your crates?"

"Yes." She runs a critical eye over them. "Do you need to open any of them?"

He scans the list, eyes the nearest crate. Hands the papers dismissively to Mal.

"Seems to be in order. Pass on by...oh, I've had a wave from Chandra - class reunion in the summer. Do you think you could tear yourself away from rusticating and grace us with your presence this year?"

"I'll give it serious consideration. Unless my_ pi gu_ ex-husband is there."

"You don't change, do you?"

"The effects of my environment." She's escorting him to the door.

"And what an environment." Looks about him. "Couldn't you find a better way to travel?"

"I'm soaking up the local colour. Living history."

"Throwback. Well, take care of yourself in the boonies."

"See you, Patrick. Love to Casey."

The door shuts, and pressure seals snap off. So does Ilargia's smile.

"Wanker." she says, then grins weakly. "I suppose he's not that bad for a brass hat, but a class reunion - _tien ah_. Corporate climbers bragging about careers and kids."

They are all staring at her. Com crackles.

"_Docking released, and we're green to go."_ Kaylee sounds all kinds of surprised.

"Old friend?" Mal manages.

"We were at college together." Stretches her neck. "Well, that was all kinds of lucky that he's still on this route. Hoped he would be."

"I'm glad you're such a trustworthy woman, Ms Donovan."

"So am I, Captain. Wouldn't want the Alliance sniffing about the hold, would we?"

"Huh?"

She gives him the tired kind of look he usually gets from River.

"You do remember that we were introduced by Mr Badger, Captain? Whilst he is a dear little man, I suspect that he is not always honest. Don't know what you've got stored, and don't care to."

Jayne can't believe she just talked some high-rank brass off the deck easy as smiling. Watches her walk up the stairs with admiration.

Mal looks after her with quite different intent.

"Who the gorram hell we got on board, Zoe?"

Ilargia pauses at the top of the stairs. Gives a rueful grimace; her hands are shaking.

"Plausible deniability." Quiet whisper makes her jump. River's slipped Simon's hold, leaning over the rail above her. She and Ilargia look at each other a long beat, then River puts a finger over her lips, dances away.

Ilargia can feel the sweat between her shoulder blades. Too damn close.


	4. Policy of Truth

4. Policy of Truth

Mal's still looking up the stairs, when Jayne brings an odour of more than good cheer to the conversation.

"How 'bout that? Talked them purplebellies off our boat. Ain't she something?"

"Last passenger we had could do that was the Shepherd." Zoe lets that hang for a moment.

"And what she is, we still ain't quite sure of."

"Oh, c'mon. She ain't a player, Mal." Jayne shakes his head. "Not like that tricky piece you got yourself hitched to."

"You wanted to swap Vera for her." Mal reminds him. Jayne shrugs.

"Yeah, well, rainstick turned out a lot safer." Folds his arms. "Ms Donovan ain't nothing 'cept a nice little woman heading home with cargo to trade."

"Well, you ain't thinkin' with your brain..."

Zoe interrupts what looks set to become another pissing contest.

"Nothing on the Cortex with her name on it. Whatever kind of trouble she is, isn't anything with a flag."

"An' River ain't any more tweaked that she normally is." Jayne points out. "Why don't you go ask her?"

"I might just be doing that." Mal sniffs at him, smirks. "Don't think Ms Donovan's gonna like your new aftershave."

0000

When Jayne gets back to his bunk, there's a bar of soap outside the door. He's about to sling it up at Mal's head, but smell catches him. Sharp scent, like early morning in the mountains, back when he was learning to hunt. Pine trees.

Smells clean, like her. 'Cept for the smudge of engine grease. Scutter of tiny combat boots on the edge of hearing.

Ship's full of devil women. He grins.

0000

Knows that Kaylee and River are nudging each other when he swaggers in. Zoe eyes him up and down.

"Have you...washed?"

"Man gets dirty, he should get himself clean." Had a bit of a shave, too.

Zoe keeps staring at him; this is the man who doesn't change his shirt for a week. He's a skin tone lighter.

Ilargia is having a graphic thought involving Jayne and a sponge bath. River leans away slightly; a side effect they should have foreseen.

"River, are you okay?" Kaylee's concerned. Girl's gone cross-eyed.

"I'll...be in my bunk." Drown in the sea if you stand on the shore too long.

0000

Mal's hoping they don't run into any more of Ilargia's friends. He don't think he can take the excitement.

But the rest of the day passes without incident. Quiet enough that he and Simon are well into a game of chess, when Jayne wanders by. Looks at the board, grunts,

"Mate in three."

"You good at chess?" Ilargia asks him. She's leafing through the old journals.

"No." Horrible grin. "But it's gonna bug Mal and the doc trying to figure if'm right."

River drifts in, observes in passing.

"Mate in three."

"Gorram...I was right?"

"No." Pure little brat sister in her smile. "But now my brother is really confused." Leans up to him, whispers, "New queen on the board. Black knight's her champion, not the white king."

Jayne leans back. Girl still worries him, 'specially when she gets near anything sharp in the kitchen. Clutching something to her chest, an' he eyes her warily. He don't like her near Ilargia.

Ilargia hasn't noticed, is still poking about. Asks plaintively,

"Has anyone got anything to read on board?"

"Jayne has some magazines..." Mal offers, which stops Jayne's grinning dead.

"I'll bet he has. I was thinking of something a little less...graphic." Smiles sweetly. "If you have anything you haven't coloured in yet, Captain..."

Zoe turns her snort into a cough. Mal don't want to get into a verbal with this woman; he ain't equipped for the fight.

River puts what she's carrying down on the table. A proper book, leather cover gone soft from use. Ilargia pounces with the glee of a book-fiend.

"_Moonward Ho!_ It's years since I read this. I always had a weakness for space-pirates." She's already curling into a chair. "Thanks, sweetie. I'll take good care of it."

Jayne settles in to clean some of his smaller guns at the table, where he can watch her reading.

It don't matter to him if she don't want to talk right now. He just likes being near her. Ain't just looking at that curvy little bottom, and imagining how soft her skin might feel. No, he likes that she has a way of smiling at a man, makes him feel worth something. He's used to wanting a woman. Been a few wanted him back, over the years, but mostly working girls. Life he leads, doesn't meet any kind of class that often.

He figures he's like most men - he'll take what's on offer. But what he likes - is feisty women, not so tough they lose their softness, but smart with it. No use for wilting flowers. She feels his eyes on her, glances over with a smile. He busies himself over his cleaning.

Smile stays with her as she reads on. And they both keep looking when they think no-one else is.

Kaylee peers out from where she's cooking.

"They are kinda sweet, aren't they?"

Simon shudders.

"Did we pass through some dimensional rip? Because I don't think anyone in the 'verse could think he was sweet. Even his mother."

"Grendel had a mother." River reminds him. Hands Kaylee the salt before she reaches for it.

"Jayne just wants to...I don't even want to think it."

"So does she. Don't make 'em any less sweet. He had a wash for her, an' all."

Simon, having recently found his last clean towel mysteriously filthy, frowns.

0000

Ilargia surfaces long enough to eat dinner. Afterwards, crew are playing a card game she doesn't know, and rather than hold the game up learning, she tucks away with the book. Doubts they'll miss her.

(She's wrong. Everyone teases Jayne, until he stomps off to sulk on the bridge.)

Realises that it's very late when she finishes it. Looks at the cover thoughtfully. Spends a while staring up into the dark. She never sleeps well on board ships, until her body adjusts; strange bed, strange noises.

_Serenity. _Interesting choice of name. She knows the history behind it. Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds, Corporal Zoe Alleyne. Can't even imagine what they went through then. What they've been through since. Kaylee's face gone sad as she explains why Zoe doesn't smile too often any more, why they have a pilot should be in school. She didn't ask how he died; this is the life out here. Can't imagine what it's like to miss a husband, instead of...pushes that thought away.

Kaylee is a sweetie, a cheerful little soul who keeps all her worry stashed away behind her eyes. Keeping the lid on things, picking her way through the words, doesn't come naturally. The doctor is so very young to have that much on his shoulders.

Thoughts keep coming back to him, though. Big hands over hers, deep rumble of his voice.

He's not the first mercenary she's met. But he's the first she's felt inclined to stay within any distance of. Manners are rough, but oddly endearing, and he tells a story well. Been to so many different places (probably to rob them), met a lot of folk (and probably killed them, Ilargia.)

Dammit, an educated and empowered woman from a politically correct and socially enlightened culture is not supposed to go lusting after an unreconstructed brute.

Treacherous inner voice (sounds a lot like Kaylee) says, 'could be all kinds of fun, though.' And it isn't like she's planning to leap on him once they're planet side...

Of course, if he should feel inclined to do any leaping, life could get all kinds of interesting.

And her dreams are her own damn business.

0000

In the cargo bay again. There's been debate on whether to put the hoop out, but that involves finding the ball, and it just seems much easier to sprawl out and chat. Jayne's doing pull-ups today. Muscles have to move out of the way of other muscles when he does; Ilargia notices that sort of thing, strangely enough.

"You gonna beat up on the doc some more today?"

"I think I hurt something doing that."

"Try this out."

He nearly has a fit when River appears behind Ilargia. So busy watching her, he wasn't paying no mind to the crazy, and who knows what she sees as a threat? But girl just climbs up the crates, cat-footing about with a nosy look.

"Don't think it's safe up there for you, honey."

Ilargia has worry in her eyes; Jayne don't think River's gonna fall, though. Crazy just lays herself down, comfortable-like.

"Every box has a story."

"She's...not quite right, sometimes, is she?"

"She's gorram moon-brained half the time, and nuts the rest." Raises his voice. "Get off the rutting soap, girl."

"Thinks I'm a rain girl." Smiles. "I won't burst any bubbles."

"Oh, leave her be, if she's settled." Worry in her eyes, pushed away.

River shuts her eyes, still smiling. A good secret. She's going to keep this one locked up safely, where it can keep the bad secrets shut out.

Jayne don't want her fussing about River.

"C'mon. Try this out."

She's laughing up at him.

"I can't even reach the damn straps."

"No problem." Two hands on her waist, and lifts. Tiny waist - his fingers nearly meet round her - but not feather light, curvy little hips. (He don't go for scrawny women - like cuddling a coat rack.) She manages a couple of pulls, before she falls off, giggling, and for one happy minute, steadies herself against him.

Kaylee shakes her head.

"Captain catches him, he's gonna put Jayne in the airlock."

"He's got his reasons."

"He just don't like seeing people happy, not since 'Nara..." Kaylee trails off under Zoe's stony gaze. Then the other woman sighs.

"Not saying they're good reasons."

They both remember the fuss Mal made when Zoe and Wash started keeping company. And he's not been too cheered about Kaylee and Simon, neither. Zoe lifts a shoulder.

"Ah, well, it's only for a couple of days. Can't do no harm." Raises her voice. "You gonna let me embarrass your sorry ass, Jayne? Got five credits says I can pull more than you in a minute."

"Bring it on, girlie."

"Don't allow no betting on this ship..." Mal comes down the stairs. "Not without I get to take part."

"You beat him out then, Sir."

Which weren't what he had in mind. And he resolves to come down, use Jayne's kit more often, 'cos he is in a sad, sorry state come one minute. Basic training too long and too far away.

Even Simon has to have a go, 'cos Kaylee wants to see him all sweaty. An' Jayne collects a nice handful of credits out of it.

0000

Simon's looking for a clean shirt to change into, when Ilargia knocks on the door frame.

"...Dr Tam?"

It takes a moment. Then he's cold, sick, terrified.

"Next time your sister lends a book, you might want to check the bookplate."

One of River's favourite childhood books. Her neat copperplate italics. Makes some response to her through numb lips, but she's already walked away.

0000

Simon is wondering if they could just leave Ilargia on a rock somewhere. River sighs inwardly; if he voices that thought, Jayne will put it back down his throat with a fist.

"Secret for a secret. Fair swap. Not going to hurt us, Simon."

"We don't know her..." Sometimes she's just a child. Trails off under her Look. "Can we trust her?"

"Trust is fragile. Like soap...bubbles."

He'll have to assume that's a yes. The Captain is not going to like this.

0000

Mal figures that River usually has a reason for doing what she does. Whether it's a reason makes sense to normal folk may be open to debate. But ratting herself out to a stranger is a whole new type of crazy.

"You meant her to find out, didn't you?"

"Not sideways. Forward is the only way."

"You like her."

River nods.

"Sees the girl." Fingers touch a dinosaur. "Likes _Serenity_ and all who sail in her. Fellow traveller." Dark eyes are amused, clear. "Ask her."

"Ask her what?"

"Them that asks no questions isn't told a lie. Watch the wall."

"You could try being a bit less cryptic, darlin'."

"Can't tell a secret. Have to show it."

Mal's thinking hard. River don't think she's a threat. But she's a woman with a secret. And he don't like secrets on his ship. Has a last worrying thought.

"I ain't gonna find bits of her ex-husband in there or nothing?"

"No bodies. Only lives."

0000

Mal has a crate open, racks of soap round his feet, and frustration all over his face. Likes to think its inspiration, not temper, makes him fling a bar at the wall.

Soap splits clean down the middle. There's a small vial of liquid nestled in the centre, like the stone in a peach.


	5. She's a Rebel

5. She's a Rebel

She'd been sitting on her bunk when the blow fell. Knock at the door, and the Captain, dropping the wreck of her hopes onto the end of the bed.

He's split a dozen bars, found a prize in most. Ivoprovalyn, dyroximol, strepamine, alprazoline...recognises some of the names. Antibiotics, insulin, immuno-boosters - there's a whole pharmacy tucked away. Now he's facing an angry, frightened woman.

"You're a mule for Badger." He's strangely disappointed.

"Hardly. I bought the cargo."

"You plannin' on opening a clinic?"

"I'm supplying one, actually." Words are bitten off, crisp and cool. "I didn't lie to Patrick - I just omitted a page of the manifest, as it were."

"So what do you make on the deal, Ms Donovan?"

"Oh, I get to travel with nice folks like you." Folds her arms. "Toss my room if you care to - won't find a credit more than I paid you."

That's because it's hidden down her boot. All she has. Anyone takes it off her, it's because she won't be needing it anymore.

"And I'm guessing you weren't planning on telling us about this?"

"Got on a boat with a bunch of people I didn't know, introduced by a man who runs a criminal syndicate? That would be a big 'no', Captain. Things had gone as planned, me and the soap would be getting off, and no-one would have known."

"Instead of which, we got ourselves a situation."

"I'm at your mercy, Captain."

He looks at her. Still the same small, neat, unlikely woman who calmly offered him her hand at Eavesdown. The same woman who casually faced down Alliance Customs. Central Planets born and bred, educated, respectable...and a smuggler of black market medicines. Fear in her green eyes, and a deal of temper. But no weakness.

"You're a long way from where you began."

"Aren't we all?"

A beat of time.

This time he offers his hand first.

"It's a pleasure doing business with you, Ms Donovan."

She smiles, a genuine and relieved smile, that makes him realise the difference when she's just being polite.

"You'll tell your crew? Because I don't mind telling Mr Cobb, but I'm rather afraid your First Mate might shoot me for pulling a fast one." Eyes widen, and he knows she's making fun. "I wouldn't like to think that you were doing anything illegal against your will, and all."

"Now, Ms Donovan. This is a respectable craft." Pause. "Badger told you about the cows, didn't he?"

"He did."

0000

Mal calls a crew meeting, lays it out for them.

"So...there's a small fortune tucked away in them crates?" Jayne asks, slowly. Everyone watches, waits, can feel it building..."Gorram!" He's laughing. "Woman's one of us."

He can't believe he ever thought she was nothing special. Smuggling medicine in bars of soap.

"Cargo's already marked for folks that need it, so we will not be dipping into it, _dong ma_? Got our cut."

Mal don't need to be glaring at him like that; he's got the message. Jayne wonders a little wistfully if she'd give thought to striking out with him, and splitting the proceeds, but lets that idea go. She's good people. Catches River looking at him, hunches a shoulder.

Zoe's less amused, but has a grudging admiration. Wouldn't want to play poker 'gainst someone could coolly face down Alliance like that.

Simon wants to know the provenance of the medication. Kaylee thinks it's downright decent to be helping folks like that. River knows that Ilargia is happy that she's going to be getting off at the other end of this trip without losing her cargo, and equally happy that Jayne thinks it's funny.

She's well aware of how things could have gone. A smuggling ship on the very edge of space. Big men with guns are not on board to ask nicely.

"I hope that's the last surprise you got in store for us, Ms Donovan."

A small, tired woman, now the fear and bravado have died away.

"What you see is what you get, Captain." Rests her chin in her hands, looks at him. "I don't run arms or narcotics, I just try and get people a better standard of life. Still burns me that something I could buy in a store growing up has to be fought over out here."

Seems Jayne was right about her; she is a real nice little woman.

"Why the soap?"

"Because it's unlikely. Because it fits the image of a struggling colony of dispossessed Core folk, clinging to their civilized past. Most of it really is destined for a bath-house. People find toilet paper amusing rather than threatening - need to be a damn good reason to stop and search it. Patrick, as you may have noticed, thinks it's downright hilarious. Which is why I try and time my runs for when he's on this route."

It's a damn clever idea. And it would have worked without their prodigy. Thought makes him look to River, where she and Simon are examining one of the vials. Ilargia follows his gaze.

"They are the Tams, aren't they?" Doesn't sound anything more than mildly interested. Shakes her head. "I mean, what did the poor child do, steal somebody's sweets? They're just a pair of kids."

"Alliance just rolls right over people, an' it don't care who they are." He's shaken by the idea of River as a child; forgets, sometimes. Strange to meet someone who stands outside their memories of her.

0000

Jayne stands behind her chair. 'Course he understands why she didn't tell them; hell, you'd have to be crazier than River to shoot your mouth off about that kinda deal.

"So...you're one of us, then?"

She looks up at him.

"Yeah. Bona fida bad girl." She pulls a face. "I'm crap at it, got myself busted."

"Weren't your fault. Real clever idea, the soap an' all." He grins, hopefully. "I kinda like the idea of you bein' a bad girl, Ms Donovan."

"Why, Mr Cobb," opens her eyes wide, grins back, "I would certainly hope so."

If they don't get dirtside soon, where Mal can't threaten him, he's gonna explode.

"You ever gonna call me by my name?"

"Only if you use mine."

"'Larji." Been calling her that in his mind a while; just slips out before he can haul it back.

"'Larji?" Smiles up at him, no longer teasing, sweet and surprised. "I like that...Jayne."

Big, tough mercenary scuffing his feet, an' both of them smiling at each other.

0000

"Watching Jayne having to pass up the chance to steal a fortune? That was amusing."

"Wouldn't have done it."

"Oh, come on, River. The man thinks ethics is a town on Dyton."

"Wanted to. But wants Ilargia more."

0000

Mal folds his arms, looks at Jayne.

"Your 'nice little woman' is a smuggler."

"Yeah. Ain't that something?" Jayne's grinning proudly. Mal gives up.


	6. I'd Just Be Fool Enough To Fall

6. I'd Just Be Fool Enough (To Fall)

Mal's on the rota for cooking. Frowns at it a while. Then grins. Keeps a pilot to fly, an engineer to do engine things, and no sense him dishing out slop when there's someone much more capable to hand. Can't give orders to non-crew. Can try looking helpless, though. And it actually works.

Sort of. Finds himself being bullied in his own kitchen. It's kinda fun.

"Taste this. What does it need? No, not more salt, that's the refuge of the hopeless...oh, I forgot..." Grins at him. He grins back.

"Where did you learn to cook?"

It's an idle enquiry, though Mal is curious. What he's gathered, Core folks buy most of their meals ready prepped, so they don't have to know if it had eyes and such.

"Lived quite a few places, and not all of them had grocery stores." Ilargia takes the spoon off him, adds a dash of pepper. "Lived station side for a while, and you learn how to put taste into basic rations, or you'd chew your own leg off with the boredom. Now, got anything tastes of mushroom in stock?"

Jayne loafs hopefully into the kitchen. She's there, and it's Mal she's talking to, laughing with. Seems the Captain's got over himself now, back to his usual snake-charming self. Jayne don't feel this is fair; when he thought she was some kinda trouble, it was fine to let Jayne talk to her. Now, he's being shouldered out. Well, Mal can't have her. Crowds up on them. Mal gives him a look.

"Don't remember invitin' you in."

"Don't need invitin'."

"Do you two always bicker like married folks, or is it just for company?"

Ilargia's not stupid. She knows why the Captain is displaying that charming grin again. It is definitely causing some interesting territorial growlings from elsewhere. She smiles up at him.

"Quit looming. Captain hasn't finished cooking yet."

"Captain?" Jayne snorts. "Mal can burn water."

Her small hand pushes into his chest, and she feels his heartbeat, hard and strong. (Wonders if hers is going that fast, too.)

"Go and lay the table or something."

And the man actually does. Mal hitches his jaw shut. He's starting to seriously reckon the notion of kidnapping the woman. Not just for her cooking, though that is something powerful in her favour, but seeing Jayne all meek and polite-like is balm to a man's soul.

0000

Jayne slaps the last plate down, sits at the table, eyes Mal balefully.

Mal is not exactly blind to the glaring. Takes a casual stroll over to where he don't feel like he's gonna die.

"You got a problem this evening, Jayne?"

"Nope. Got a pretty woman cooking my dinner, suits me fine."

"Pretty?" Mal's surprised. So's Jayne.

"You got eyes?" His go back to the woman flitting about the kitchen. "She's a peach, Mal."

Not his usual lechery. Tone's almost wistful. Mal can't resist the impulse.

"Don't seem like your usual pickings."

"Woman like that ain't pickings, Mal. You keep a civil tongue."

Too many people coming in for it to turn into a proper row. Jayne don't want to discuss 'Larji with him. She ain't that sort of woman. It's Zoe sits down between them, deliberately breaks the tension.

"Are you going to dish this up, or have you abdicated responsibility for it?" Ilargia calls. Mal gives Jayne a benevolent smirk, and strolls back.

Zoe has noted the scowling. Mal's going to go too far, if he teases Jayne like this. Ilargia will cut him off at the knees, true. But every man's got a limit. Quite casually, she moves one chair up, nods Kaylee to her left. Kaylee gets it, steers Simon across from her. River doesn't need a prompt, slides into another chair...Mal's taken his usual seat at the head of the table, before he realises the change, and that the only spare seat is next to Jayne. Zoe's expression is blandly unhelpful.

Ilargia gives them all a narrow look, grins slightly, and sits placidly down.

0000

Mal picks up the conversation again as they eat.

"So which station did you live on?"

"Bernadette. Grim little rock that it is."

"Still a ways out - spreading the light of civilization?"

"Processing supply dockets. I drive a mean desk."

It's Simon asks the thing everyone else has avoided.

"What made you leave Londinium?"

It's a loaded question. More than one fork pauses.

"There's folks might not like answering that sort of thing." says Mal significantly. Simon flushes. Ilargia sighs.

"It's a boring little story, involving none of the death-defying."

"Gonna have to tell it now." Jayne wants to know. They all do.

"Well, I told you I was destined for government service," Looks at Simon, "I think you might know how this goes - parental expectations?"

"You failed?"

"Oh, no. I succeeded. Got good grades, got a good post, married my college sweetheart. A good little cog in the machine."

Mal's trying to picture her in a drab uniform, in a sterile office. It's not an easy conjure. She's got a sharp mind and a smart mouth, and he can't see that sitting well with Alliance.

"So what went wrong?" asks Zoe.

"I couldn't make the pieces fit." A wry smile. "My psych profile says 'non-conformist', which means squat out here, but it closes a lot of doors back there."

"Everybody's dreams but your own. Tried hard, but the Devil shouted in your ear." River shakes her head. "Wound the spring too tight..."

"That's a poetic way of putting it, sweetie. One day, I couldn't face being where I was, who I was, so I left." Fingers mime a small explosion. "Took a job - station admin on Bernadette. And then Esteban...my husband crashed my account."

"He stranded you?" Kaylee's all indignant horror.

"I hurt his pride." Ilargia's folded her arms tightly around herself. (Jayne wants to be doing that.) "It's a very boring, very ordinary story." Eyes are haunted. Then they see her shutting everything away again, hitching that crooked little smile back up. "Wish I'd met you folks a while back. Jayne would have been so much easier than a divorce lawyer."

"Cheaper, too." Jayne growls. He'll shoot 'Larji's ex-husband for free, he ever comes across the _fei fei cao de hun dan._

"Anyhow, I didn't go back. I sent him divorce papers and lit out for the Rim. Found a planet I liked the sound of, took a settlement grant. Carved myself a piece of the frontier."

Echo in this makes Mal ask,

"You ever play the dulcimer?"

She gives him an odd look. (She's not the only one.)

"Bit high-class for me. And I have the musical talent of a house brick." Gets a wistful look to her. "Could do with some music, though, evening like this."

"Jayne's got a guitar." says Kaylee, all helpful like. Jayne nods, suddenly a bit shy. Not something gets called upon a whole lot. But no man could resist eyes lookin' at him like he's some kind of god, 'stead of a beat-up bad guy. Puts a hand on his arm, says 'please', and pulls the heart out of him, just that easy.

Hasn't picked the thing up since Haven. Hasn't had the heart to. Takes a moment to tune it. Old tune comes to mind, some strange reason. His voice perfect for it.

"_I was a highwayman/ along the coach roads I did ride..."_

One of the many things Mal never thought to see (nor wanted to) is Jayne Cobb serenadin'. Even scarier, is the look Ilargia Donovan is giving him back. Grumbles to Zoe.

"Makin' eyes at Jayne...it's tormenting dumb animals, is what it is."

Zoe's smile, a pale ghost of what it once was, and still shadows in her eyes, but a smile, all the same.

"Women get strange fancies at times, Captain. I remember a pilot you once hired..."

No answer to that. Mal's just glad they are making planetfall next day. He had found the concept of Jayne as a folk hero hard to stomach. To be presented with the idea of him as a...plaything is downright upsetting.

"Going to hit the dirt running." River shakes her head, looks up at Mal. "Never even in the race, Captain. Dark horses only."

0000

It's the guitar that does it. Tells herself she could have walked away at any time, up until then. After that, she was a lost cause.

Big and sexy is one thing. Big, sexy musician...it's sad, it's cliched, but it doesn't alter the fact - she cannot resist the combination. Muscles, the wicked gleam in his blue eyes, voice like gravel and honey. Little frown of concentration as he plays, slight melancholy look. His emotional literacy might be written in crayon, but she'll bet hard cash there are certain things he's very good at.

He's a mercenary. He kills people for a living. He names his guns. He is a Professional Bad Man.

She still wants him. This is not good.

0000

Ilargia Donovan. 'Larji. Class and education, not quite as tough as she thinks she is, but plenty spirited. More than the idea of wrestlin' with her, he likes her smile. Treats him like he's worth something. He knows he's not an educated man, but she don't make him feel dumb as dirt.

Ain't a man alive could resist those eyes looking at him like that. Ain't a man alive wouldn't want to let her hair loose, bury his face in it. Wants to hear her say his name with that look in her eye, promising him the moon. Wants to hear her calling his name, soft skin and hard muscles...

Wrestlin' with her would be just fine. Get this fever out of his blood.

0000

Kaylee's wishing Simon would sing to her, or something. He's sweet and thoughtful, but she still has to do the running, 'cos he acts so polite. She sighs.

It had taken her a while to reckon why Jayne was so mean to Simon come the beginning. Hadn't realised what was in his eyes 'til it weren't there no more. But it was there when he looks at Ilargia. If the Cap'n weren't watching them, and scowling like Lei Kung, those two'd be off getting acquainted by now.

Can get awful lonely in the black. Sometimes a woman wants warmth and strength and somethin' more than batteries in her bed. An' when a man plays guitar to you, lookin' at you like that...

"He's quite good." Simon whispers in her ear. He sounds surprised. "Shall we ask him to play 'Hero of Canton'?"

"Don't you dare, Simon Tam." She glares at him. "You leave them be. Makes him feel bad, anyone brings that up, an' you know it."

"I..." He's blown it again, and he doesn't know why. (Again.) "I always say the wrong thing, don't I?"

"Mostly." Turns her back on him. "_Sha gua_."

Gently daring, he puts his arms round her waist, rests his chin on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry. For...whatever."

She relaxes a little, says wistfully,

"It's just...the serenadin' an' all."

"Oh." Pause. "I'm...really not that good a singer." Inspiration. "I could maybe recite some poetry. Or...there's footrubs. I'm good at footrubs."

"You are." Relaxes properly, becomes his loving Kaylee again. "Reckon we could sneak away now?"

"Captain is doing an excellent impression of my high school principal at the Prom." Backing towards the door, hand in hand. "We might..."

"Where d'you think you're going?" demands Mal, on cue.

"Medical appointment." says Kaylee cheekily, and they flee.

0000

"My whole gorram ship is becoming one great...hormone hell."

"Captain of the love-boat." River smiles at him. Zoe gives a little snort.

"I'm going to take first watch." Hurts her a touch to see them, but not so bad that she's gonna sit there and snarl, like Mal. And she likes to sit on the bridge, sometimes, and remember.

River curls up to listen to the music. Captain is being an idiot, again. She wonders if it is a chromosome linked characteristic. It isn't up to the Captain what happens. Or up to the thug, either. Ilargia will choose her own time and place.

0000

Mal is woken up by a boot to the chairleg makes him jump and scrabble for his (absent) gun.

"Don't get your panties bunched. Only me." Jayne.

"Strangely, that don't reassure." Looks about him, dazed. "Where..."

"Everyone else has...bunked up."

"You got a reason for bein' about?"

"Yeah. You put me on watch." He slouches towards the door. "Carried River down to her bed some while back, but you're too heavy."

"An' where's Ms Donovan?"

"Her private business ain't none of your'n." Jayne gives him a really filthy look. "But 'Larji was settling the crazy last I saw."

Jayne don't say nothing about the good-night kiss. Can still feel it, her lips under his jaw, quick and warm. If they hadn't had a small, sleepy chaperone rolling her eyes...Makes him grin to think on it, something to keep him warm on watch.

'Cos tomorrow, they're gonna land. And then she ain't a passenger no more.

0000

_Lyrics are J Cash 'Highwayman' - check out the last verse..._


	7. Welcome To My World

7.Welcome To My World

There's a certain air of expectancy on _Serenity _the next morning, that feeling the ship gets at the end of a voyage. Mal leans back through the door to where Ilargia is helping Zoe put the plates away.

"You want to come up to the bridge, see your world from space?"

Ilargia doesn't need asking twice. She hasn't had an opportunity to look around this bit of the ship yet. Smiles as she passes Kaylee's decorated door, but she's wondering which is the lair of the beast.

Looks at the dinosaurs a beat.

"These are the Lares of the ship, then?"

"They belonged to Wash." says Mal, not understanding. But River likes the analogy.

"Watch over us. In memento mori." She slides out of the co-pilot's chair, indicates with her eyes to where Jayne is lurking. "Hic illes monstrum."

Ilargia grins back; she knows he's there. She sits, eyes on the stars, and to Mal's relief, says something in a language he understands.

"Never been on a bridge before." (Behind her, a hand edges up on the back of the chair, braid against his fingers, soft and cool.)

Aware, intensely aware, of a large warm hand by her neck, could pick her up like a kitten. Calloused thumb resting, not touching, but so near. Snatches away as Mal turns his head.

"Coming up on Hecate - we should arrive mid-morning local time. Any place we need to be heading for?"

"Main port is Southam, but you've no call to land there unless you need to. Take a bearing north by north west. There's a little town by the mountains, name of Halliwell, and my house is a few clicks on. I like my space." Remembers the weight of people back home. Angular room in an angular block in a linear row, galaxy of lights at night. Here the lights are just a few small homesteads, and the fierce white stars. Mouth curves softly. Hand's crept back again.

"What's Hecate like?"

"Green and clean." Pulls her feet up, tilts her head back. Planet fills the window. (And warm touch of knuckles fills her world.) "Lots of forest, lots of mountains, and not a lot else. Most of the fertile land is vertical. But the hunting's good, if you get the chance."

Horrible thought strikes both of them. Mal could just unload the cargo and take off...

River is impressed by the speed with which Ilargia thinks her way round that one. This is going to be interesting. Makes an apologetic little noise.

"Need to fly now. Hitting the atmosphere. Going to hit back."

Ilargia relinquishes the seat, as the ship bumps. Doesn't even get the chance to fall over.

"You can let go of her now, Jayne." Zoe says dryly. "We'll go strap in."

0000

Ilargia strolls down the ramp, jumps to the ground in a swirl of coat, turns and spreads her arms with a half-mocking bow.

"This is my world, and welcome to it."

"Gorram, it's cold."

"I wanted to get back before winter set in; you can get snowed in."

Jayne contemplates getting snowed in with 'Larji; it's a pleasing thought. She's dressed in that prim coat and hat again, but he knows she has the devil in her eye, you look for it. Watches her now, all business, independent and sexy as hell.

"...unload the cargo, but I don't have room in the house. Are the crates weatherproof?"

"We can keep them on board until they get collected." Mal wants to see who the 'special' cargo belongs to. "That be long?"

"Doubt it. Word will be out that a ship's come in." She smiles. "That's very kind of you, Captain. In return, I can offer you some real home cooking, and...I've got a bath, once I get the furnace going, anyone cares for it?"

Bath. Immediately the word is said, everyone feels...itchy. Aware of their clothes. Mal looks at his crew. His mostly female crew. His mostly female, cooped up with Jayne and his bodily functions for months on end crew. His crew look back at him. ('Cept Jayne; no prizes for guessing where his attention's at.)

He makes a captain-y decision.

"We'll be glad to stop a while."

'Cos he reckons that between them, they are like to pull his engine to pieces rather than let him take off. Gives Ilargia a narrow look, says quietly,

"You seducing my crew?"

Look he gets back is direct, and wickedly amused.

"Not all of it, Captain. And not quite yet. Business before pleasure."

Woman scares him.

0000

Kaylee wants to see inside Ilargia's house. It's a neat little wood cabin, solid built, with a steep pitched roof and small thick windows, that say a lot about the weather. View from the porch looks down over Halliwell, and Southam is a smudge on the horizon. Would have been more imposing without the Firefly-class ship blocking all the light on the northern side.

They walk into a room the height of the house, with an open staircase up the side wall to a gallery, and doors off it. Fireplace in the opposite side, and a doorway through to a kitchen at back. Very simple, but tidy, homely. Mal has a sudden memory of childhood, catches at him. Ranch kitchen had a table like that, only on a larger scale. Reminds Kaylee of home, too. Same kind of battered couch. No engine parts round the place, though.

Ilargia finds it strange to see them in her space. Worlds colliding. She lays and lights the fire. Journeys are one thing, but it's very different when it's your home ground. Makes it real. Little shiver down her back from more than the cold.

Kaylee has found a snap on the mantelpiece. It seems to be an abstract design, until she touches it. The 'abstract design' promptly stretches out into a crescent and opens a pair of evil yellow eyes. A yawn shows long white fangs, and then the cat rolls back into a ball.

"That was my boy." Ilargia touches the frame lightly. "Had me a tomcat, name of Baphomet. Mean old _hun dan_. His life was the three 'f's, feasting, fighting and fornication." (By association of ideas, several pairs of eyes slide sideways. Ilargia continues, oblivious.) "'Course, he was just a big soft pudding to me."

"There's pudding?" Jayne, who has been peering into the kitchen hopefully, perks up. Can't work out why people are laughing, but Ilargia says she'll see what's in the cooler, and they're to make themselves at home.

0000

She's chopping logs out back, swinging the axe like she was used to it. He grew up doing chores, wonders if she did. She straightens to chuck the logs in the shed, sees him. That smile she has for him. She was wondering how long it would take him to follow her out.

Helps her chop the rest of the logs. It's no hardship to him to stretch his muscles, an' he knows he looks good doing it. (Drop of sweat on her collarbone and he wants to just lick it off...)

Damn, but he is built. Under his singlet, she can see the edge of an ugly wound in one shoulder, tattoo on the other, edge of a scar. (Wants to see the rest of him...)

Fact is, they both want to (and then some.)

Then a small craft comes in over the house, fast and low, makes them both jump. Ilargia rips out a curse that makes him blink, sighs.

"Company's coming." She eyes him regretfully. "Best put those muscles away. I have to go to work."

0000

River has found one of Ilargia's few proper books, and is curled up on the hearthrug with it. She looks...like a girl, face bright and absorbed. Mal watches her. Raises her head suddenly - "They're here..." - as the engine goes over.

Jayne comes back from elsewhere somewhat mussed and twitchy, muttering to himself. He's been jittery as a pan of popcorn since they got here. Granted he hadn't had nobody to shoot for a spell, but not being in mortal peril has to have some charm.

"Folk are rolling in. Time to unload the gorram soap."

Ilargia appears behind him, looking pissed and amused in equal measure.

"It's probably going to turn into a party."

0000

It's like the biggest yard sale Mal has ever seen. People in all sorts of vehicles turning up. Ilargia's right about the party, too. Taciturn man called Jenner sets up some trestle tables, and Kaylee is out and circling the covered dishes already. Jayne and Zoe are moving the crates down to the end of the ramp. Clean air moves through _Serenity,_ brings the smell of pines and ice.

Craft they heard has touched down in a space would have made even Wash think twice, and the owner is locking down the cargo ramp.

"Juno, meet Captain Reynolds."

She's tall, broad-boned face handsome, copper hair. Gives him a handshake near breaks something.

"Captain. Right pleased to see you."

"Juno runs the bath-house." Ilargia's marking the list. "I see you brought Tiy with you."

"Oh yeah...you seen Elspeth around? Need a word."

The pilot steps out of the craft, slim figure in a proper flyer's jacket, cropped dark hair and a limp. Mal finds himself face to face with one of the most beautiful women he has ever seen - coffee skin and long, lifted eyes. She gives him a nod, limps past after Juno's long stride.

"In case you were wondering, Zoe is more their type." Ilargia murmurs.

"Criminal waste."

"If they are here, I had better see about separating the cargo out." A look up at him. "But first...help me carry some provisions, Captain?"

Heads round to the wood store, but it ain't wood she's after. Goes into the back of the store. Mal lets out an admiring oath. Ilargia grins.

"Beauty, isn't it?" ('It' is a still, half the height of the room.) "I keep it secret so no-one gets tempted to drink themselves blind whilst I'm away."

Mal's about to say something about keeping Jayne away from it, when the man himself peers round the door.

"_Ai ya_! This is where you brew your rocket fuel, huh?"

"Damn straight. Got a jar or two ready to drink - red tops." Both men stare at the massed shelves. "This is what I do when I'm not smuggling, gentlemen."

"Shiny." Jayne grabs two demi-johns, grins. "What's everyone else drinkin'?"

Mal gives Ilargia a warning look.

"You ain't seen him drunk. It's kinda horrific."

"He's your crew." Hands him another demi. "Now, do you want to come and meet the owner of that cargo?"

0000

He's expecting Juno, finds himself looking a foot further down. Looks like someone's damn grandmother, with a birds nest of grey hair. His face betrays him. Sharp black eyes fix him with a basilisk glare.

"Dr Elspeth Sung. I trained on Ariel before you were born, young man. I'm no backwoods bonesetter." The wrinkled hands pick and peck through the soap with practised ease. "Oh, good girl, you got the thyroximene - Jenner's been watching the skies for the last week for you."

"I came back as quickly as I could, Elspeth."

"I'm only teasing, Gia." Looks to Mal. "We're very grateful to you for this, Captain. It's not everyone you could trust with this sort of cargo."

"Indeed. Glad to be of service, ma'am." He smirks at Ilargia. "Difficult to find decent men in this day and age."

"Always been difficult to find decent men." Elderly ladies ain't supposed to grin like that. "Sometimes you just got to make do."

0000

Kaylee thinks it's real nice party. The Hecate folk are friendly, real pleased to see Ilargia back. People are turning up with all sorts of real food. Few jars of happy brain death making their way about, too, and she's keeping Simon off those. He ain't used to that sort of drinkin'. There's gonna be music, too, later - already seen two fiddles, and she wants to dance with him.

Ilargia's minding the store. There's half a cargo bay of crates, and she seems to know what's in each one and who it's marked for. Reminds Zoe of her first QM - no-one had a belt buckle without that woman knowing.

Jayne wants these people to take their rutting soap and go. Likes a party much as the next man, but he's got a party of his own in mind. Watches the bossy little woman on the ramp, and doesn't even know he's frowning. A real entertaining mix of tenderness and frustration.

He's gotten used to having her to himself. And now all these folks that she knows, and he don't, are round her, laughing and chatting. Makes him twitchy, seeing her smiling at other men. Then she's hugging one of them.

Sittin' and nursing a bottle of something wicked as he feels when Kaylee bounces up to him.

"You not enjoyin' the party?"

"No. I ain't."

Kaylee looks more closely at him as the tone gets through. He's got that tight mean look on him. But she has a hunch as to what's causing it.

"Jayne, would you be jealous now?"

"Hell, of what?" Jayne takes another vicious drag on his bottle. "Ain't nowhere on this stinkin' dirtball for a man to have himself a good time."

Yep, thinks Kaylee, jealous. Big idiot.

"You drinkin' yourself...stupider than usual this evening?" Takes the bottle away from him. That gets his attention. "You know she ain't got eyes for no-one else. But she's gotta work first, and she ain't gonna want a drunken mess slobberin' on her."

He gives her a shamed grin - (so easy to read, not like Simon, with his perfect poker face.)

Kaylee reminds him of his ma, when she puts her hands on her hips like that. Points a stern finger.

"Now stop being an ass an' get..."

He's already loping over. Ilargia is sitting on the edge of the ramp. She's not exactly peering around, but her eye is out for a certain set of shoulders. Finds them. He's looking about him like a questing hound. And she sees the moment he sees her.

"Hello, you." Woman looking up at him with a promise in her eyes. "Thought you'd left me for a bottle. You enjoying the party?"

"I am now." He sprawls down by her feet. "Thought you'd left me for somethin' prissy in eyeglasses."

"Tad?" She outright laughs. "He just told me his wife is having a baby come summer. They teach the school here." Sideways look. "I'm only interested in his library."

Jayne don't flirt. He's a bit too...direct for that. Never had a woman as wasn't willing, though. Still can't quite get his mind round that she might be willing. She's smart and classy, and he's...not. Tries to explain.

"Never had me much schoolin'. Can't talk fancy, ain't nothin' but a hired gun."

"Never picked you for your erudition." Ilargia grins, strokes her fingers down the back of his neck. Jayne twitches.

"Quit that."

"No."

"'Larji..." What's meant as gruff protest comes out pleadin'. Does things to a man, he can't think straight, woman pettin' him like that.

Ain't all a bad thing though...

Sound halfway between a growl and a purr makes her giggle.

0000

Tiy is sitting, right leg stretched out in front of her, artificial from mid-calf down. Elspeth is examining the joint. Tiy is talking to River - by the hand movements, River is asking about the landing. Mal will bet she's hearing a lot more than Tiy actually says.

"Combat flyer - got shot down and spent the last two years in a camp. Rutting Alliance medics didn't do enough to save her foot." Juno gives him a sideways glance. "That little girl is your pilot?"

"She is. Got a female mechanic, too."

"Good for you. Got three male plumbers on my workforce." A ferocious grin. "I don't hate men, just don't want to hump 'em is all."

Mal manages a smile. This planet is full of women make Zoe look warm and fuzzy. Juno takes a pull on a bottle, offers it to him. Elspeth, with few more manners, offers him a glass.

"Kinda assumed you were old friends of Gia's." Nods over to where Ilargia and Jayne are...well, way they look to each other, there's no-one else in their 'verse.

"They met less'n a week ago."

"Shipboard romance, huh?"

Enough to freeze the blood, that. 'Romance' is not a word Mal has ever associated with Jayne. But then he's never seen him look quite that doped either, as she rakes gentle fingers through his hair...Mal looks away.

"Could call it a romance. All I know is, it scares me."

"Remember when that girl came off the ship first time." Elspeth shakes her head. "Never thought she'd last the winter, she was that thin and sad."

"Oh, she's no quitter, Gia."

"Left her useless husband, though."

"I think she was just heading away." They look at the stars, the sweep of the mountains. "And this is about as away as you can get. Hecate's mostly folk who just wanted to live a mite further out."

"What Elspeth means is that we're a bunch of free thinkers, radicals and political dissenters."

"But we don't cause enough trouble to get ourselves stepped on. 'Course, we're last in line for any Federal assistance. Which means dabblin' with the dark side." Elspeth raises her glass. "Here's to those ladies and gentleman."

Mal acknowledges the toast. Someday he's gonna be able to drink this stuff without his eyes watering.

0000

Simon is torn between his two women, and annoying both of them, in his usual fashion. Kaylee wants to dance with Simon, but he's fussing about River, who does not want her big brother breathing down her neck at a party. Ilargia watches them.

"She's going to be a terror now she's started noticing boys."

"River...ain't quite like other girls."

Ilargia snorts.

"She's the smartest cookie I ever met, but she's a teenage girl. Genius against hormones - no contest."

River huffs down beside them.

"Never have any fun. Simon hovers."

"He fusses like a gorram nursemaid." Jayne agrees.

"I think he's worried that you may be making undesirable male friends."

"One of Simon's biggest fears," River confides, "Thinks I'm going to notice that Jayne's not a girl."

"Even you ain't crazy enough to miss that...ow." (Ilargia has pulled his ear, though gently.)

"Noticed." River puts her tongue out at him. "So not my type. Besides, stealing is wrong."

"So, what is your type? Let me guess." River's eyes go wide as Ilargia carries on. "Tall, dark and brooding, a touch of the rogue about him?"

Jayne's lost, but River is scarlet. Ilargia pats her shoulder.

"You got good taste, sweetie."

"Has to see the girl before he sees the woman." says River sadly. "And the girl would like to dance."

"Well, you can't have Jayne, 'cos I think he's comfy." says Ilargia, practically. (Jayne grunts agreement.) "But I'm sure there is someone that Simon would trust you with."

Dark eyes meet green with a moment of perfect understanding.

"Not good for morale if the crew is upset." River agrees solemnly. Darts off.

0000

Mal's had a bit to drink, not enough to excuse being dragged into a hoedown. But his little albatross has a grip of steel.

"Dance with me." That good smile of hers. "No hats made of tree."

...Mal backing out of the dancing hastily. River stuffing a fist in her mouth. And a fragment of conversation with Simon.

"...what? These are surgeon's hands."

"...only one handy with a needle..." Mal hisses back.

"Has he done what I think he's done?"

"Yep." Even Zoe can't keep a straight face.


	8. Feeling This

_Anyone offended by the idea of the Hero of Canton getting naked, look away now. Rest of you can just be sittin' up, and grinnin' like prairie dogs..._

8. Feeling This

Party starts to winds itself down; there's ice in the wind, and once the sun goes down, it stops being so nice outdoors. Tiy and Juno lift off back to Southam, and that seems to be the signal for folks to start taking their leave. Big absence left by the crates is being filled by the sort of silence has trouble all over it...

"Time to lock up the store, then." Ilargia stretches. "Been a long day."

"Lemme walk you home." Jayne gets to his feet real fast.

"How kind." She's biting back a grin, and just a little breathless. Because it's all of twenty paces, and she could get lost so easily. Takes the proffered elbow, and they are gone before anyone has time to draw breath.

There is a short and vaguely horrified silence. Mal clears his throat.

"Now, I thought you were the one with the pretty manners, doc."

Simon just twitches faintly, peers past his fingers.

"It's so cute." says Kaylee. "Jayne's like a little puppy dog."

"Kind as needs a muzzle, honey. Is she going to be okay with him, Captain?"

"Don't hear no screaming."

Might do if we stick around, though, he adds mentally. Then wishes he hadn't. Picks up his coat. "Time to turn in, before impressionable minds are scarred."

River gives him a brat look.

"I know about sex."

Winces all round.

"I was thinking of my own mind there, thank you."

0000

Dark on the porch, and quiet. But Jayne wouldn't be Jayne, without he got himself certain ideas. An' she don't even yelp when he puts his arms round her, just turns and offers up her mouth, sweet as cherries.

He don't kiss on the mouth.

No, he don't kiss on mouths where he don't want to know where they've been.

But a soft, clean mouth like 'Larji's, a man could forget his own rules. Warm arms round his neck and fingers through his hair, a man could forget his own damn name.

When he growls, "I'm takin' you to bed, woman." all she says is "Good."

0000

Zoe pauses with her finger on the door controls.

"So...you don't reckon on Jayne's coming back tonight?"

"Well, he ain't on a clock." says Mal brutally, then feels ashamed of himself. Zoe gives him that tight look she has for disapproving of him, shuts the door up. "Ah, that wasn't nice, was it?"

"No, sir."

"Just seems kinda...wrong to me, is all."

"Fact that she went straight past you for him, you mean?"

Offended pause.

"That wasn't nice, either."

"Wasn't meant to be. Sir. I think she's _feng le_, but we're dirtside now. None of our business."

0000

'thout her boots on, 'Larji is a little bit of a thing, a nice size for a man to tuck under his heart. With her hair loose, and losing her shirt, it's a sight to make that heart rise (and other bits too, gorramit.) Not used to women wearing underwear. Least not delicate, clean stuff. But fastenings he can't see ain't any deal - pops 'em one handed, makes her laugh. Little snarl of frustration when she can't manage his belt buckle makes him laugh too. She wants him out of his clothes, well, he can fight this battle naked.

Finally gets to see those muscles in all their glory. No spare flesh on him. But a man, still, not some steroidal freak show. Sheer effort went into that six pack and pecs. His body is a history of violence. Runs her hands down across the span of his back.

Nails raking gently down his spine makes him growl throatily. Afraid of his own strength, for all she promises "you won't break me", trying to go careful with her, but she won't let him.

His mouth is sure and strong as the rest of him. He likes to touch, taste, smell. Senses alive with her.

Nothin' but sweat on skin, heat, whispers and moans, hers and his.

And after, when she expects him to roll away, he snugs himself round her.

It's been a very, very long time since she went to sleep in a man's arms.

0000

Ilargia intends to be briskly cheerful and matter-of-fact about things when she wakes up. However, this intention is defeated by the fact that Jayne wakes up first.

No doubts in Jayne's mind. Wakes up in a warm bed with his woman, so he nuzzles her neck until she makes a surprised noise, opens her eyes. She's probably the only person in the 'verse ever been pleased to find Jayne Cobb grinning at close quarters. Man's determined to work up an appetite for breakfast. Wants to try a little more of that kissin' on the mouth, too.

Eventually, she sends him off to summon the others, as the only way she's going to be able to get anything done. And she'll never look at the kitchen table the same way, either. Man's an animal. Stretches herself with a grin. Doesn't feel used, feels...worshipped.

0000

Mal is not good with mornings. People bangin' pans together was not something calculated to improve that situation. Crawls out of his bunk to kill the person responsible. It's Jayne, chewin' on a stogie, and looking smug.

"Bit early for you, ain't it?"

"'Larji don't like me smokin' in bed."

The implications of that are so horrible that Mal's mind flinches away, whimpering. Jayne continues.

"Sent me to see if anyone fancies real bacon for breakfast." Gives a sudden cracking yawn, and a grin. "Woman's plum worn me out."

"Go. Away." Mal blinks. "Real bacon?"

"Yep." He's already sidling back off, probably to do something horrific. Stopped by Zoe marching in.

"What in hell was that noise?"

"Jayne. We have a breakfast invite."

Zoe glares at Jayne, who looks remarkably cheerful for man two paces from death. Her expression changes from homicidal to horrified. Man has a gorram lovebite. She shudders. Coffee. Lots of strong, black coffee. Jayne steps round her hastily, and causes Simon to flatten himself against the doorframe as he barges past. Doc looks after him.

"Do I want to know?"

"No." Both Mal and Zoe chorus.

"Was that Jayne coming home?" Kaylee knuckles her eyes sleepily. "Did he have a nice time?"

"Yes." says River, before Mal can die of horror. "Sated. Or satyr. Howling at the moon all night." She already has her jacket on, solving the mystery of how he got in to annoy them.

0000

Hecate has another surprise for them. It's snowed in the night, and the world is white.

They make a deal of noise and knock at the door just in case something may be happening that will upset anyone's appetite, but Jayne lets them in like it's his own front door, and Ilargia waves out of the kitchen.

She don't look so much like a Sunday School teacher now, with her hair bundled back, loose and soft. Sad fact is, she looks smug as Jayne does. Way he puts his hands on her hips and nuzzles at her don't leave no doubt in anyone's mind.

"There's children present." Mal glares at River as she opens her mouth, and she subsides.

0000

Snow. Enough to play in. Yellin' and squealin' and great handfuls of cold down necks. Simon and River are enacting an age-old sibling behaviour. Jayne walks straight into a faceful of snow, takes off after Kaylee with a roar.

"Where did he get that hat?" Ilargia is packing a snowball with neat, practiced movements, under cover of the ramp.

"His mother made it." River, doing likewise.

Ilargia's still laughing, as they stand up and pelt him. Jayne promptly changes course, and River basely swings up out of harm's way, leaves Ilargia squealing for mercy. Which is so not going to happen, Jayne gets her cornered...

Mal watches his crew at play. Been a while since they were this relaxed. Feels vaguely dignified and paternal. Turns to make a remark on the same to Zoe - whereupon his treacherous First Mate gets him upside the head.

Sometimes a man has to make a stand and fight. Sometimes he just has to run until he's got a good mitt of snow...

0000

Later...

Zoe is settled back on the couch, mug of something warming cradled in her hands. Fact is, this is the nearest to peace they've been since...she blinks. Could imagine Wash just wanting to settle here. Luring Kaylee away from the cooking was going to be hard. Luring Jayne out of bed...was a nasty thought. They should get moving soon. But it would be so tempting to sit out the winter with peaceful, lawful folk.

Mal looks at her sidelong. Can follow her thoughts, because he's known her long enough to read that stone mask.

"We got no more reason to be here, and we need to get another job."

"I know it." She sighs. "Few days R and R wouldn't hurt, though, would it, sir?"

"You're just in love with that bath-tub."

(The bath is mad. It dwarfs the room, a huge enamelled tub with clawed feet.

"I got it when Juno renovated the bath-house." Ilargia grins at them. "You'll be the first menfolk ever to use it, I'd guess.")

Upstairs, they can hear Ilargia banging on the door.

"Out in five, kids, or I'm turning off the hot!"

(Kaylee had made the excuse that a large tub like that, she could slip and drown. Ilargia had promptly handed Simon a second towel and punted him in through the door. One good turn deserved another.)

River, lying on the hearthrug, drying her hair, laughs. Jayne comes in, stamping snow off his boots.

"Furnace is good and stoked."

Ilargia leans over the banister and grins.

"You better have the next slot, Captain, then Zoe can have a real long soak."

"You are a very nice woman." Zoe tells her solemnly. Ilargia looks conspiratorial.

"I got a little black market bubble bath stashed. What's it worth?"

"Trade you an oaf. I got a choice of two."

"I'll take the big one."

"Done."

"Man could take exception to that." Mal says mildly.

"Only 'cos you come second." Jayne reaches out, snags 'Larji round the waist as she goes by. "You gonna dish up that stew any time soon?"

"You are all appetite."

"Ain't I just." Grins hopefully at her.

0000

Woman really is one hell of a cook. Mal's ribs feel tight, but he has to have another spoonful of that gravy. Ilargia hands him the dish.

"First winter here was hard until I got the knack of skinning rabbits."

"Easier'n skinnin' squirrels." says Jayne.

"Good eating on a fat squirrel." She grins at Simon's horrified expression. "Why, Dr Tam, did you think you were eating chicken?"

"Is rabbit." River assures him. "Jenner brought them. I helped cook." She's very proud of that.

"I'll eat it, he don't want it." Jayne makes a grab for Simon's plate; doctor moves it hastily.

"You won't have room for desert." Ilargia warns him.

She opens the oven. Smell hits Mal. Warm fruit stewing under golden pastry...That's hitting below the belt. Zoe gives him an odd look.

"Are you...whimpering, sir?"

You can catch Kaylee with strawberries; Mal is a fool for apple pie.

0000

A slow, sleepy end to the day. People picking over the plates, stacking dishes. Mal's resigned to Kaylee and Simon cuddling on the couch. Still can't get used to the sight of Ilargia sitting on Jayne's lap.

"We've run out of chairs, and I'm too old to sit on the floor. Besides, he's comfy." She wriggles in a way makes Jayne smirk. Mal has a feeling that he's not going to get his mercenary back this evening either.

0000

She speaks before she thinks,

"If I'd known you were this much fun, I'd have jumped you that first night."

Jayne smirks.

"Reckon we've a few days to catch up on, then." Those big hands of his start wandering...

0000

He was never supposed to be so sweet.

He's also sweaty.

"Never did get your bath, did you?"

Rumbling laugh.

"You gonna wash my back, then?"

Quite a lot of the water ends up on the floor. Now Ilargia sits in her robe, towelling her hair dry in front of the fire. Jayne, nothing but a smile on, sprawls on the couch, watching. She reaches for her hairbrush.

"Let me do that?"

Surprised, she hands him the brush, settles back, sits within the fortress of his thighs as he kneels behind her.

"It's a nuisance, hair this length. I'm thinking of cutting it."

"Hell, no!" Startles both of them. "Be a crime, woman." Knows what he is about, holding the mass of hair in one hand, soft, careful strokes of the brush.

She knows what he is, what he does. But she wonders if those people he lives with have ever seen this tenderness in him.

Those hands can strip and reassemble a rifle in the dark. Hands that could beat a man to death, can wield a hairbrush with tender care. Fingers, knuckles marked with brawling, finding music on a battered old guitar. Killer's hands, laid gentle on her skin.

First heat has burned into a steady flame now. He's not going anywhere, puts his arms round her waist, mouth finds that part of her neck that just makes her lose it. Loses her robe, too...


	9. Guess Things Happen That Way

9. Guess Things Happen That Way

Ain't often Jayne's woken up with the same woman a second morning. Certainly never had one give him a bath before...makes him grin. Can see why the Doc is so keen on this washing thing now.

Gets a whisper of why Kaylee likes the Doc, too (though it don't mean he likes the little turd any better) - there's something about clean skin...

Though Larji don't mind sweat.

("It's a manly smell...sexy."

"I smell sexy yet?"

"Mmmm...getting there." Tongue traces over his heart. "Taste sexy.")

One pale shoulder turned away from him in sleep. He can cover her whole back with the span of his hands. Calls her his peach - warm, smooth skin, silk under his fingers. Careful, he picks up a strap of dark hair, inhales - woodsmoke, garlic and lovin'. It's a good smell.

("You're the first man ever slept in this bed." Thumb traces the scar by his mouth, warm, skin to skin.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I'm choosy.")

An' she chose him. He still can't reckon why, but she did. He don't pretend to be the handsomest man alive, and he knows he ain't the smartest. But Larji don't want nothing from him but what he's quite happy givin'.

There's a crooked 'J' carved raw into the headboard.

("So you don't forget me."

"You idiot." He's not the sort of man you'd forget easily.)

But it's the thing they both know, and don't say - soon...

She'd thought he'd be more gentle than first appearances would suggest, but a woman could get far too used to that hungry and hopeful look; strange how much a large grown man can seem so like an excited small boy when he grins like that. When you've grown so used to taking care of yourself, to be swept up in broad arms and held is almost a cruelty.

(Teaches him so much, this tender play of tongues. He never realised that a kiss could set a body afire. She's willing and wanton, and he makes her cry his name...)

His skin, roughened by the weather of dozens of worlds, grained with dust and powder burns, scarred, a map of hard living. It would take a lifetime to read the history marked into him, and it's time they don't have. Little things - he keeps his hair short, because it curls a little when it grows, and he doesn't like that. Tattoo on his shoulder is from his first gang, the arc-welders in the Marietta shipyards back on Deadwood.

He's known a lot of women on a lot of worlds. And he knows that he ain't her first, neither. But there is something new and exciting about the way they are together. Takes his strength, meets it with her own delicate ferocity. No need, no time for shame or second thoughts. For all she's a lady, she knows some right wicked tricks.

(Rasp of bristles on soft skin, a sigh and she arches a little, feels his mouth curve into that wicked smile.)

Here, they are merely two people. He don't have to bluster and shout, she doesn't have to use her wits as weapons. Both unarmed, disarmed. The other is everything they never dreamed of. And all they have to be, is exactly what they are.

0000

Simon is slightly peeved. It took him eight months to get round to kissing Kaylee. It's taken Jayne four days to, well...And it's not like Ms Donovan is some back planets trollop. Not that Kaylee is...His thoughts tangle as badly as his tongue sometimes. Kaylee is amazing, a revelation of warmth and fun in his life, and he's terrified that she will grow tired of his inability to express himself, tired of the fact that he has to split himself, caring for River. He's envious, too. He could never simply walk up to Kaylee in front of everyone and nuzzle at her, the way the big ape-thing does to Ms Donovan. It would make him feel awkward. Bad enough coming down from the bathroom to the barrage of knowing grins (one of them from his baby sister.) He supposes that he will get used to it, some day.

But he still can't get used to seeing Jayne being (shudder) petted. He'd thought she might be better suited to the Captain, actually. (He knows that Mal and Inara have their own version of whatever passes for a relationship fouling up their lives, but he can't see that it's a healthy one.) But she's obviously not interested in brains or charm or hygiene - any of the things the space-troll so conspicuously lacks, in Simon's opinion.

Thank God it's only for a day or so.

0000

It's not going to be that much of a rest, really. They need to clean out _Serenity_ good, scrub the filters and the tanks. But Zoe's right - it will do them all good, clean air and real food, and not having to look over their shoulders so much. Jayne ain't sleeping on board - well, Jayne probably ain't sleeping, but Mal won't think on that - but he comes swaggeringoutnext morning, takes up his task without even a whinge.

"Had me a bath." Grin is something from the pits of hell. "Never knew that getting clean could be so much fun."

"I really don't want to be knowing."

Mal can't get his head round it. How did Jayne get so gorram lucky? Just 'cos he can play guitar an' all. He's still the same crude thug he's ever been.

Dirtside, or any place they have downtime, Jayne usually disappears, and they don't care to speculate on how he spends his time (or money.) But this ain't a whore, or a woman so drunk she couldn't see through a window in two tries. Ms Donovan - Ilargia - blows all their conceptions out of the water.

0000

Mal's little plan to get _Serenity_ clean runs into problems mid-morning. He surfaces from where he's been fittingthe lastfilter to find he's on a ghost ship.

"I done lost my crew. You got them stashed in there?"

"The girls are down in the town - there's a snowman competition." She grins. "Jayne's too old to enter, and he's sulking."

"Am not." is shouted from somewhere in the house.

"Well, I knew where he'd be." Mal mutters. "Any clue on where the Doc is?"

"He's helping Elspeth."

Mal feigns an expression of terror.

"Is he her latest human sacrifice?"

"Be nice. He misses talking shop. You want to come in for a coffee? Zoe's taken a flask down to the kids."

"I ain't playing gooseberry." The terror is less feigned. "An' it puts me off my food, watching you corrupting him."

"Captain, neither of us want to contemplate what it would take to corrupt him."

"You could try." The voice is hopeful. Mal backs away.

"Snowmen sound nice and innocent about now."

"Depends where Kaylee puts the carrot, I suppose." Ilargia is a very bad woman.

0000

He's stopped twitching by the time he reaches the competition. Kaylee has not done anything appalling. Though the hat is familiar.

"Does he know you've pinched that?"

"I promised to give it back." Kaylee looks about twelve, all bundled up. "He ain't interested in clothes at the moment anyway."

"Every time I manage to get that out of my brainpan, somebody got to put it back in there..." He looks down at the other participant, who is earnestly packing the base of the snowman to keep it steady. "How you doin', then, _mei-mei_?"

River looks up at him, unusual colour in her cheeks.

"Never got to be a girl first time around." Smile is the sweetest thing he's seen for a long time. A little gloved hand reaches up, pulls at his scarf. "That would help."

Mal finds himself handing over his scarf to complete the assembly, and retreats back to Zoe and the coffee, before they want any more of his clothing.

She's talking with a greying man, seems kind of familiar. Mal pulls the name out of his memory. Jenner, Ilargia's nearest neighbour, and father of the three small boys energetically creating a mess. Catches a conversation, makes him pause.

"...lost my wife two years back. Still find myself ready to yell out, I can't find stuff. Left me those three to raise."

"I always wanted a girl..." Zoe sees him, "Sir."

"I didn't mean to..."

"It's fine, Sir." And it is. He can see that she needs to talk to someone who understands. And the comfort of strangers is sometimes easier to bear than the pity of friends.

0000

The judging is over. River and Kaylee came second, which means they have a jar of toffee between them, enough sugar to keep them shrilling over the ship for weeks. That's gonna be something to look forward to. Kaylee has the hat on, and River takes the scarf, looks to Mal, before wrapping it snugly round herself.

"'Spect that's the first time you ain't cometop in something." Kaylee sighs. "I do something wrong?"

"Don't want offworlders winning." River has a mouthful of toffee already. "Anyway, didn't want the humbugs." Shows a brown tongue in a grimace. "Simon likes those, and he'd steal."

They take off to show Simon their prize, two small excited bundles of coat. Mal grins after them.

"Nice kids you got there." Jenner looks at his own offspring, now energetically kicking the other snowmen to pieces. "Would you like to swap?"

"I think we'll pass." Zoe grins. "I'll corral them up, then, shall I, Captain Dad?"

"You know how to make a man feel real good and old." Mal sticks his hands in his pockets, regrets his scarf. "They ain't my kids, they're my crew."

"Same difference." The man beside him has a dryly humorous tone, belies his solemn face.

"You may have got yourself a point." Mal sighs. 'Cept you can't spank crew...

He really don't want that image in his head. Any of the images.

Beside him, Jenner tucks his gloved hands under his armpits, squints up at the sky.

"Weather's changing. This is just the first bitty little blow."

Mal grew up on a planet had big storms blow in. He knows it, too.

"Gonna have to a make a call on it, then."

"Yep." They both contemplate the slate-grey sky. "Reckon if you don't get that bird of yours in the air next day or so, you're gonna be stuck here."

Mal sighs.

0000

On the porch and looking in. Room's lit by the fire, by lamps. Jayne's retrieved his hat, is looking powerful silly in it, and clearly don't care a bit, having scored a piece of toffee, too. People are laughing, at ease.

Ilargia has found some music on her old radio that doesn't frighten them - Simon's an unlikely fan of goth rock, but it scares everyone else, including Jayne - and River and Kaylee are dancing. Simon's far too self-conscious to dance, but watching Kaylee with a softness in his face at odds with his usual aloofness.

Ilargia and Zoe are talking and laughing over something, and he realises that he's never seen Zoe with a female friend her own age before.

Jayne comes padding over, puts his hands on Ilargia's waist with a gentleness Mal ain't ever seen in him. The curve of her hip, the turn of her head, the way she laughs up at him...She looks...cherished in his arms, 'cos Jayne's near a foot taller.

Mal's quiet during dinner. Zoe gives him a glance, and something passes between them. She knows.

"Jenner says the weather's changing." she says softly.

"Told me, that, too."

She nods.

"Given 'em all the time you can, Sir."

"I got the boat to fuel, crew to feed." Manages a smile. "Don't want to be wearing out our welcome, now, do we?"

He hates to do it, but he must.

"We'll be leaving tomorrow."

His words bring a little of cold space into the room.

Ilargia bites off a breath. Jayne's grip tightens fractionally round his cup. And that's all. They don't look at each other.

He's the captain. There'll be no argument or discussion.

"I'm going to miss you folks." They know she means one of them in particular.

"Maybe we'll do business again, some day."

Pain in her eyes.

"Don't make promises, Captain. We all have to live in the now."

Jayne stops short at the front door, as they leave, and the two men stare at each other a beat. Mal isn't used to seeing pain in those eyes.

"I can give you one more night, Jayne, then we gotta get off this rock."

"I understand, Mal."

"Guess you got some goodbyes to make, then."

"Guess I have."

0000

They are quiet, tender, lost in the dark. Salt on their lips might be sweat, might be tears. Fingertips must be eyes, memory. There is nothing to say.

0000

A beautiful, clear, cold morning, and for two people in it, the worst day in the world.

_Serenity_ stands ready to fly. Flushed out with clean air, tanks full of clean water. There's been a deal of hugging, and now the rest of the crew are boarded, waiting.

Jayne and Ilargia stand, their last goodbye, and neither of them have the words. They dare not even touch each other again.

She doesn't want him to go, but can't imagine what to say - never imagines it could be as simple as "don't".

Jayne knows he's a bad man, and will go to hell, but thinks it a downright low trick for it to be happenin' while he's still alive. Swings briskly up the ramp, refuses to turn and look back. Until the last minute.

She's already walking away, head up and proud.

Good thing she knows the path, because she can't see through the start of tears.

Just a cute set of muscles, is all. Just a man. Going to forget her in the arms of someone else in days. But he didn't make her feel bad for being herself. She'll cry a fair few nights, but she's not going to regret him. Regrets nothing but her own stupidity, at the pain. Not unexpected, but deeper than she thought.

Behind her, the engines roar, and the sound breaks her heart.

0000

Kaylee gets one look up into his stricken face.

"You going to be okay?"

"Hell, I ain't the settlin' kind, Kaylee. Man like me don't like to be tied down, take my pleasure as I find it, and move right on." Hitches himself with a leer.

Kaylee ain't fooled. Waits until he's at the door.

"Why didn't you stay with her?"

He stops, but he don't turn.

"She never asked."

0000

_Dusk on a small, green world. Ice in the wind, sharp on the windows. Real glass. Not a lot of wealth in this town. Most of it is in this room. Plush carpet, electric lights, dim and concealed, low glow of a screen on an elegant desk._

_Man who owns it is a slender Eurasian with a bland ageless face. Looking at him, you wouldn't realise that he was in a killing rage. Unless you saw into his eyes. Touches the screen with one finger._

"_Bitch defies me? So...I have clients who would pay a great deal for a girl with green eyes..."_


	10. I'm Lost Without You

_Another Blink-182 track...But then, we've all been there, done that, sobbed all over the t-shirt..._

10. I'm Lost Without You

_Waking in a cold bed, and crying a little. Small house seems suddenly empty, and the solitude becomes lonely. And all the kitchen knives perfectly sharp..._

"_Gia, would you like to put that down?" Elspeth's tone is careful._

"_What? Oh." Wipes her eyes. "Oh, don't be bloody daft, Elspeth. I'm being stupid, but not that kind of stupid."_

"_Nobody sees you in near a week, and then I find you looking like hell and contemplating a blade. I had to wonder."_

"_He sharpened them all before he left, and I never knew." She puts the knife back gently. "Do I look that rough?"_

"_You look like you haven't slept."_

"_Bed's too big." She manages a half-smile. "I thought I was smarter than this, you know? Went into it with my eyes open."_

"_Oh, you silly girl." But the tone is affectionate._

"_It was only ever a handful of days. We both knew that."_

"_Doesn't help, though, does it?" _

"_No." Ilargia straightens herself, pulls back her hair. "Now, don't worry so damn much. You don't need your little bag of tricks for me."_

"_Oh, I'm on my rounds. Got Jenner's little boy to see, and then I'm off to see Juno."_

"_Another brawl?"_

"_A fire, this time. Some minor injuries." Elspeth gathers herself to go. "Now, wash your face, and get yourself something to eat."_

"_I'm not hungry..." Raises her hands in surrender, "But I'll fix myself something, I promise."_

"_We've all been there, girl." She grins, but it's kind. "Doctors see a lot of broken hearts."_

"_Well, I won't die of it." Ilargia tries to be brisk. "He's probably forgotten me by now."_

0000

It's been near a week...

They'd had a simple payroll heist, which had gone without any of the usual elements made up a _Serenity _job. Given cash in hand, and a stopover on Boros, the results had been predictable.

Mal had been decided.

"I'm leaving his sorry ass in the drunk tank 'til morning. He's too damn heavy to carry."

And now it's as sad a sight as can be imagined.

Big, bleary unshaven hulk, smelling of a bad night out, slumped on the ramp. Not the first time in his career they've bailed him from places like this. Nor the first time they've put him under a cold hose before he steps back on the ship, shivering and cussing. Kaylee still wrinkles her nose as she hands him a coffee.

"Simon's got a shot, make you feel better. Just a little prick..."

Waits. Jayne just grunts...

0000

"He ain't right, Captain." Kaylee shakes her head.

"Man's going to be through his pay and into debt, he keeps on, sir."

"Isn't this his usual behaviour? Drinking, fighting, whoring?" Simon.

"Not whoring." River shakes her head. "Can't find one with green eyes."

And that gives them pause. It's Kaylee who says it.

"He's missing Ilargia something cruel, isn't he?"

"Man never even misses a meal, gorramit. And he's had any number of women..."

Winces all round at that thought. Kaylee keeps on, stubborn.

"None he was sweet on, way he was with her."

Kaylee knows he's heartsick. Suffered long enough herself. Knows everyone else thinks she's just soft.

0000

Jayne is sitting on the steps into the cargo bay. Not polishing a gun, or sharpening a knife, just sitting and staring. River watches. Understands him better now. Big, simple mind and a big, simple heart. Lives in the now, because the past you can't change, the future, you can't know. Fears what he can't fight, because strength is all he has.

The mercenary is hard, tough, heartless. He chases whores, cares nothing for anyone.

But Jayne has a heart. He doesn't want to chase whores any more.

He's just too gorram dumb to figure it out. River sighs. Determination settles on her small face. She has had enough of Jayne moping - not just his physical presence. His dumb animal hurt presses on her like a migraine. His mind was much nicer when Ilargia was around - pornographic, but less mean.

She sees into the truth of things. And so does Kaylee.

0000

Dunno what's wrong with him. Doc says he ain't sick, he just don't feel right. He's been surly and snappish all week, but this being his normal way, no-one has reckoned on it. Feels like he's mislaid a favourite knife or something. Or that scooped feeling, first time he hacked the black, saw a planet spinnin' 'neath his feet.

He don't understand it. Only thing the three day drunk has done is leave him poorer and aching. Set out to have a fine time, but none of the girls took his eye. None of 'em was _(small and clean and curvy, with wicked eyes and a classy accent) _right. Plenty of choice, though - thought to wrap a tall blonde round him, see if that helped - but _(wrong colour hair, wrong colour eyes)_ it didn't. Screech of abuse when he shoved her off bought her pimp into play, an' Jayne was in the mood to hurt someone by then... Rest of it was a blur.

So now he's sitting and waiting for Mal to come and yell at him. But it's River sticks her crazy face round the door. Growls at her,

"What you starin' at, moon-brain?"

"Had the moon in your hands, let her go. Fool."

"Crazy talk."

"Not so crazy I'd leave my love in the dirt."

Why are men so afraid of that word? Even Mal only uses it about his ship. Four little letters and they run about like chickens.

There's a silence as she walks away. Then a small stunned voice asks,

"love...?"

"Yes."

Pause.

"An' it weren't just sex?"

"No."

"oh."

River leaves him with the idea. It's not like it has a lot of competition in his head.

0000

He turns the idea round, looks at it a while.

Love?

Always reckoned on love being a luxury, the kind of addled nonsense the Doc and Kaylee believe in, or the way Mal moons after Inara. Not something should happen to a grown man, all sudden like.

Met women with more obvious beauty, met women a good deal more obvious in other ways, but never met one he just wanted to be with.

Always lived in the now. Past's done with, and a lot of his ain't good to think on. Future...well, his life don't tend to that kind of plannin'. But now...

Jayne has a very direct view of the 'verse.

Him. And Larji.

Slots into place like the sweetest pump action.

Wonders what his mother will think. Then reckons he's never even thought about a girl meeting his mother before.

Wonders if he's got enough pay saved to get the ship turned round.

0000

Mal stares at him.

"I thought it was just the sex."

"Well, it weren't."

"Oh, I done forgot the cooking." Mal's trying to be humorous. It isn't working. Jayne glares.

"You ain't funny."

"Well, I'm sorry." Don't really want Jayne losing his temper in a confined space, not without his being paid to do so. "Just never seen you so fretted by a woman."

"So, a man like me ain't allowed no finer feelings, that it? Hell, I'd lie down, let that woman walk on me, is the truth. And I miss her, Mal."

"We all got folk we miss. An' you can't fall in love in a week."

"Why not? Just 'cos you and Inara can't sort your hearts out don't mean other folk can't."

That stings Mal, all sorts of ways he can't explain.

"You ever thought she may not be too cheered if you turned back up?"

"No." says Jayne, simply. "I was a gorram fool not to stay with her, an' I ain't afraid to tell her so."

There's no answer to that.

"We got a schedule to keep, Jayne. An' I'm gonna need you sober. Things comin' out of your mouth, I'm thinkin' you're still pickled. Get some of Zoe's coffee down you, and get up to the bridge."


	11. Ship of Fools

11.Ship of Fools

Mal steps back up onto the bridge,which seems oddly full of crew. River swings the screen to show him their route. It don't look like the one he's expecting.

"Fly this, just a quick stop on the way. Won't use more fuel, calculated the burn."

"Now, look." Mal takes a stand. "We are not takin' a detour cross the quadrant just so as Jayne can get himself laid again."

All three women give him disgusted looks.

"You are a heartless mean old man." Kaylee.

"He's a mess, sir." Zoe. "His mind ain't on the job and that's like to get us killed."

"Projecting intimacy issues." River sighs, spins the co-pilot's chair. Shakes her head. "Dog in the manger."

Mal blinks.

"I ain't the bad guy here." he says irritably. "I'm the gorram Captain." Turns his head, as Jayne stumbles up the step. "This more of your gorram foolin'?"

Jayne don't like everyone looking at him, but he wants to say this.

"Once in his life, mebbe, a man's gonna meet a woman turns his 'verse around. May not be what he was expectin', but he lets her slip through his fingers, then he ain't got no-one to blame but his own dumb self. I need to go back an' see her."

Both Mal and Simon flinch inwardly. Mal attacks.

"So, you want to go back, and then what? I think she'd take it amiss, you went robbin' her friends and neighbours."

"I ain't...I can do more'n that, Mal. I can..." swallows hard, "get me a proper job, I need to. Shipyards can always use a man can weld."

Mal sniggers.

"You? Turn respectable? No power in the 'verse is ever gonna make you respectable."

Simon sniggers, too.

"I can just see him settling down. Little cottage, white picket fence." Thumbs make a frame. "Little shingle - 'Dunkillin'."

Makes everyone 'cept Jayne smile. Mal, buoyed up by the humour, carries on.

"So, you don't think she was just slummin'?"

Jayne's eyes narrow.

"She knows what I am, an' she didn't turn away. I ain't the smartest, ain't the handsomest, and I ain't got no kinda class, but me an' Larji had something."

"You had a few days screwing around. How's that make her different from any of your other..."

All the time on _Serenity_, and Jayne's never hit him before, even when they've been up in each other's faces. Both of 'em are real surprised. Jayne uncurls his fists.

"I ain't got nothin' against working girls, an' you know it, Cap'n, but I done told you before, you mind your mouth 'bout Larji."

He's stomped away before Mal can scramble to his feet.

"That was downright mean." Kaylee slaps Simon's hand away.

Mal scoffs, covers up the fact he feels small.

"We know he's got himself lashed - but what did she think? I mean, she's respectable, educated, Central Planets, an' he's...not. Reckon he was a bit of fun for her, is all."

"'Cos no-one from the Core ever wanted to be around us folk, you mean? Sometimes, Captain, I think them tight pants of your'n done cut off the air to your brain."

Mal's mind finally catches up with his mouth. Kaylee has already run from the room.

Simon gives Mal a glare, goes after her.

"You do realize Jayne's likely to jump ship?" Zoe says quietly.

"Thought had crossed my mind." Mal wipes his lip, stares at his hand. "Can't say as I'm over troubled. He hit me in the mouth, Zoe."

"You implied that Ilargia was a whore, Captain. You think he wouldn't?"

"Ain't never seen him so...messed in the head. Maybe it's 'cos he didn't have to pay."

"Another crack like that, an' I might hit you in the mouth. Sir. She was a real nice woman."

"I know it. An' I'm sorry."

"You might tell him that." She turns to go. Behind her, Mal throws a cheery thought in.

"Just a blessing he can't fly this ship himself, ain't it?"

"Don't even joke."

0000

River says quietly,

"Shouldn't have laughed at him."

Her big dark eyes reproach him. Mal shrugs it off with a smile.

"Jayne in love? Can't nobody take that seriously."

River glares at him, and Mal feels his smile freeze.

"You want everybody to stay cold in their boxes. Then you never have to leave the dead. Coward."

Ain't nobody uses that word to him. It's the last straw.

"You and your brother are gettin' mighty free with your opinions, little girl..."

There is a short, and not terribly coherent row, involving the words 'selfish', 'childish', 'heartless' and 'crazy', that ends with River fleeing down the corridor in tears, and Mal shouting after her,

"... then I can go get a grown-up to fly my gorram boat."

Stops. 'Cos that was real adult. Making a little girl cry.

0000

Simon catches up with Kaylee halfway down the stairs to the engine-room.

"He's just mean." Isn't often she'll criticise Mal. "Laughing at Jayne like that. An' you did, too."

Simon's getting smarter.

"I was...taken by surprise."

"Just 'cos it took you forever to get a clue..." Sighs. "Why shouldn't Jayne want the same things as other folk?"

"Can you really see him settling down?"

"Why not? You saw them together. She didn't care that he wasn't all polished and fine."

"He only knew her a few days..."

"Out here, it might be all you ever have." Kaylee snaps at him. "He ain't afraid to take a chance and grab at some happiness."

Sound of flying footsteps, and a weeping River dashes past. Kaylee pushes him away.

"Go on. You got other things to be doing." You always got other things to be doing.

Simon standing in the corridor, torn. Wants to be with Kaylee, knows he needs to be with River. Wants to punch Mal for hurting the two women in his life, and conscious that whatever he does, he's going to hurt them, too.

0000

Stupid, blind man.

"It was never her fault." River wipes her eyes. "She just made everyone see that some of us are more than weapons."

"River, none of us..."

"Not me. Him." She draws her knees up. "Jayne is more than guns - he has a heart. Now, nothing is stable any more, because a constant has turned out to be a variable, and the equation must be rebalanced."

Nothing is safe. That's how it feels. The 'verse has spun out of true.

"Captain doesn't want me, Simon. Wants a proper co-pilot." He doesn't understand. Perhaps this is a good thing. Snuffles piteously. "I am no longer of use."

All Simon knows is that his baby sister is hurting.

"_Mei-mei_, he's not going to turn you off the ship." But the fear is there. Where will they go? And can he leave Kaylee? Because she wouldn't leave _Serenity_.

"All I am is a crazy little girl who can kill people." Sobbing herself into hiccups.

"You're still my sister."

All they have is each other. And at this moment, both of them feel that that isn't enough.

0000

Zoe and Jayne don't have much to say to each other in the normal way of things. Though it's hidden deep in his mind, he's jealous of her - not just as First Mate, but that whole camaraderie she has with Mal, the history on _Serenity _that always puts him outside. And she's never been impressed with him, met too many like him, up through the ranks and over the years.

But now, he stands in the half-dark of the kitchen, shoulders braced, head bowed. Something he can't see, can't fight, riding him.

"You come to laugh at me, too?"

"No."

"Where's it written, huh? Tell me that. Where's it written down that Jayne Cobb can't...ah, _gou huang tang._" Slams a fist down.

Zoe waits. She's never seen him like this. He's cold sober. Glimpse of that edge that makes him so useful, and so dangerous.

"You an' the little man, Zoe - when did you know?"

Emotion rocks her. Rage, pain. Tide of fury rises...crashes back. He ain't aiming to hurt.

_Ren ci de Tien ah._

"I...just knew one day, is all." She ain't laying her feelings bare - never has, never will.

Seen Jayne in a lot of moods, most of them ugly, but she's never seen him hurting before.

"Ah, crazy talk is all. I..." Stops. "What'm I gonna do, Zoe?"

She's got no answer for him. Mal shouldn't have laughed.

0000

Mal, sitting on his lonesome on the bridge, is all prepared to rile up and snarl at the doctor, but it's Zoe.

"You come to snark at me, too?"

"No." Zoe puts the coffee down with slightly more force than might be necessary. "Brought you this. 'Cos it's gonna be a long watch without a co-pilot."

"She still weepy?"

"Doc gave her a jab, calm her down."

Guilt is written all over Mal's face. Zoe hardens her heart.

"Seen you deal smarter with folk than that before, Captain. What you got eating you?"

Envy, shame, indecision, all boiling away into a mess of temper.

"What I got - is a boat full of folk seem to think that they get to say what goes on. Ever since we had that damn woman on board, everyone's like to have gone crazy as River. Got a bunch of girls bleating at me that Jayne's in love an' I gotta be nice to him, turn my boat around and take him back to where he can play house. Well, this is my boat, and I give the orders, and I say we go forward. An' if he wants to jump off some place and take his gorram appetites with him, I don't give a cuss. Ain't no-one in the 'verse ever gonna be happy to see that gun-toting space trash at their door. Her sort and our sort don't never mix."

Ah. She hadn't put the coffee down, Captain might be wearing it, 'stead of drinking it. This is spectacular, even by his standards.

"Well, that could explain why Kaylee is cryin' her eyes out in the engine room, I suppose."

That pushes another button.

"I've had my fill of her wasting time runnin' about with the Doc. Ain't what I pay her for. Never been in favour of relationships on board - want my crew focused, 'stead of thinking with their..."

Zoe is Looking at him. Take a man braver and dumber than even Mal to keep hang-gliding over that particular hell. He shuts up.

"I only ever disobeyed one order of yours, Sir. You might want to think on the why of that."

She leaves him alone on the bridge.


	12. Illustrated Man

12. Illustrated Man.

_Serenity_ is not living up to her name. Whole ship is a tinderbox. They haven't sat down as a crew for best part of three days, and half the ship is not talking to the other half. The sharp, ugly row that had boiled up out of nowhere had not passed, the way others had. Jayne hasn't been out of his bunk, except to raid the kitchen at night - they know this by the mess. Space monkeys got nothing on him.

They didn't have no right to laugh at him like that. He ain't a monster, got a right to feel, same as other folks. An' Larji...he could be good to her. Gorram high-and-mighty doctor, and his sneerin'. Some folks never had the money or the brains to make anythin' of themselves. But he ain't afraid of hard work. Why'd he want to stay on this old crate anyhow, if all they do is laugh at him, first time he tries to share anythin'...Dashes an angry hand over his mouth, and tips up the jar again. L'il Kaylee makes a fine and potent rotgut in them engines. It ain't gonna help, he knows, but it makes him sleep...

River won't be on the bridge with Mal, hides herself away...

"She's a psychic, Captain. It must be like sitting in a room with a load of radios on full volume. And no way to turn them off or down. We all have to calm down." Simon can shut himself away in plain sight. She can feel his mind, all blue steel and locks. Frightens her, because it is a mind a width from those that came with the needles and the blue hands and the monsters...

"I am perfectly calm." lies Mal. That face won't win him any poker games. "You get your sister out of the walls of my gorram boat."

Mal is boiling with an obscure sense of injustice. He knows Jayne's hurting, but they all got hurt, just got to get past it, is all. Got a whole ship to think on, not just one man's needs. It's not like he wants to turn the ship around, go tell Inara some such nonsense...pushes that away. (Somewhere in the smuggling nooks of _Serenity_, River lets out a small wail, muffles it.) Forward, same way as always, that's what they need to do. Keep working, and it'll pass. It's just Jayne, after all. Just Jayne, an' some lust come out of the Black and the booze.

Portside engine is kicking, intermittent, and Kaylee can't seem to trace the problem. It keeps her mind off Simon, who is distracted by River's misery as an excuse to avoid his own. Mal can always find something for them to do, means they don't get a chance to be together. An' Simon don't fight it, don't find a reason to walk away from the glass and steel and sterile hell he's living in. Knows she's wicked to wish things were different, because he's got to look to River. Still weeps a few tears into _Serenity_. Way Mal dismissed the idea that Core and Rim could ever make it work lurks deep in her heart, cold.

Zoe is truly worried. When Mal gets stubborn like this, ain't nothing can talk him out of it. Might as well argue with a mountain. When she and Wash started keeping company, he had put them on opposing watches, 'til he remembered that Zoe had learnt to go without sleep some time before. She's rattled by Jayne's declaration, too. It ain't like him to go and say something that downright...honest.

River hugs her knees up, rests her forehead. The abyss is looking back. She has made a false equation. Chemical imbalance, an excruciating toothache of the brain...Eyes that look past you. Bad in the Latin.

0000

It is with a huge sense of relief that they dock at the Space Bazaar. It ain't a planet, but there is enough room to get away from each other for an evening.

Jayne has already slammed his way out past Mal. Only the fact he ain't carrying his gear gives any indication that he won't just vanish. Simon stays on board - River won't come out in case the Captain turns her off the ship. Kaylee and Zoe walk down the ramp - they are still talking to each other, at least. Mal goes by, with a cool nod.

"I'm going to check for post, and then I'll be at Keech's, you need me."

That's the Captains' bar. A good place to look for work...or word on new crew.

One other ship in dock, twice the size of _Serenity. _Another transporter, but streamlined, swift, dragonfly class. Name on the nose is _Straylight._

"That's Tanaka's ship." Zoe and Kaylee look at each other.

0000

Jayne don't know where he is. Don't care. Place got alcohol, and that's numbin' the 'verse some.

There's a man, ain't as good-lookin' as he supposes, sharp-featured face and black hair worn a bit too long, puts an elbow down on the bar. He's cut off his shirt-sleeves to show his muscles, which ain't quite in Jayne's class, but big enough.

"You'd be one of Reynold's crew, yeah?"

Jayne focuses. Don't like this face...knows it, but don't know why he don't like it. Growls,

"You got a reason for askin'?"

"Heard you lost your pilot. Wondered about the vacancy. Heard you got some mighty fine women on that ship." Licks his lips obscenely.

Pilot. Women.

"Petchko."

"Hey, you heard of me." Man puffs up, don't notice the way Jayne is flexing his fingers.

"I heard of you. From...Ms Donovan."

"Oh." Face darkens, and he looks at his hand - (tip of the little finger is crooked, as if it's been reattached.) "Wondered who'd get the joy of her this year. She's an icy little bitch, isn't..."

Ain't nobody gonna talk about Larji that way. 'Specially not some _hun dan_ can't keep his pants buttoned. Jayne's in the mood to hurt somebody, make somebody hurt as bad as he does.

An' for Jayne, thinkin' is pretty much doin'.

0000

Sitting in Keech's, having a drink and tryin' to relax. Not a common occurrence, and Mal ain't good at relaxing, anyhow. And 'cos life seems quiet, up comes a man to disturb it.

Hideo Tanaka, Captain of the _Straylight_, is old school. Edge of red and blue design beyond collar and cuffs when he extends a hand, turns his head. Favours black leather with scarlet-edged enamel plates on the shoulder and spine. He ain't a man to cross. And when he's smiling politely at you, it means you probably have.

"Captain Reynolds."

"Captain Tanaka." Mal keeps his hands in view. He's probably faster on the draw...

"Is there a reason why your..._ronin_ has disabled my pilot?"

Mal swears inwardly. The repercussions of Jayne's little lost weekend just keep on comin'.

"You remember a Ms Donovan?"

"I...the little soap trader." Comprehension flickers. Mal continues on.

"Seems your pilot upset her some, back when, and Jayne took it amiss."

Tanaka's worse than Zoe for the whole graven image deal.

"Ah. Then... Forgive me."

0000

Zoe hauls Jayne out of the bar scant moments before station security rolls up.

"What in hell got into you, Jayne?"

"Man was crowdin' me." Jayne's sullen, still brewing. "Wanted the little man's job, an' everything went with it."

Zoe's sharp breath in has the quality of a curse. Jayne turns his head away, and they hurry back to the ship in silence.

0000

"You know why I hit him, Captain. An' we ain't discussin' it no more. First chance I can get a ride back, I'm goin'."

_Serenity_ without Jayne...well, they managed a good few years before him. Only three of them to remember it, now. No denying, jobs will be harder, even if food goes further.

Mal looks at him.

"Can't keep you where you don't want to be."

Jayne has been an insubordinate, untrustworthy pain in the ass from the get go. He's also indispensable in terms of directed havoc. If Zoe is his strong right hand, then Jayne is Mal's left hook. Mal just ain't sure that he and Zoe are enough to protect what they got.

"Took me on board to save your skins - ain't like you ever wanted me here." Scowl and a hitch of his shoulder.

So many orders given - 'take point', 'covering fire'. He's put himself in front of those guns a deal of times. Ordered this man to kill for him, asked him to risk dying.

Mal can never find the right words in time to stop people walking away from him.

0000

Kaylee finds him in the engine room. Standing there with his hand on the housing.

"M'not doing anything." He's gruff, defensive. "Just...taking a look around."

"Sayin' goodbye." says Kaylee softly.

"Yeah." His shoulders slump. "Reckon I'll miss this old heap." Tone says more.

"Oh, Jayne." Knows he'll hate it, but she hugs him. Awkward, he hugs her back.

"You snivellin' over me? Gorramit, girl, I ain't worth it. Dirty space trash like me - you ain't gonna miss me a day."

"'Course I will." All the might-have-beens that never were hang between them. "But I'm gonna wish you all the luck in the 'verse."

"Boy's a rutting fool." he says, rough and sudden.

"Now, don't you start." Pushes him gently in the chest. "You go and love Larji, an' be happy."

"Dunno what kind of a shot I'm gonna make at bein' decent."

"Best you can. All any of us can do."

0000

Zoe, on the bridge, feels a pair of eyes on her.

"Anyone knows the why, reckon on it being you."

"Yeah." She lifts her chin. "Can't be so afraid of losing things, that you never try and have 'em."

"You...don't let Mal think of hirin' that scumbag. Won't none of you girls be safe with him on board." Says in a rush, and leaves.

0000

Kaylee sits up in her hammock, wipes her eyes, sets a determined little chin. If Jayne can go grab happiness, she can walk the length of the corridor to the infirmary.

Simon puts down the set of slides with a sigh. He's never felt it quite this much before - how cold, how bright, how quiet, the infirmary is. His tidy little domain. And suddenly, he wants to be in the engine-room. Noise and warmth and Kaylee. Turns purposefully out of the door - and gets an armful of mechanic.

"I don't care if the Cap'n does get mad. _Serenity_'s plain miserable at the moment, an' I can't stand it." She burrows into his shoulder. "He can put me in the lockup."

"Needs you to keep flying." Gathers her up. "I'll be the one in trouble." Cautiously tries a little humour. "It's my professional opinion that the man is emotionally constipated."

"He's certainly full of _shi_, sometimes."

0000

He's kept away from Simon. They got nothing to say to each other, an' if he smacks some sense into the little turd, just gonna make Kaylee cry some more. Ain't too surprised when he looks up from stowing his weights to find the crazy looking down at him, though.

"Well, you ain't gonna miss me none."

"Incorrect. I..." she stops, blinks. "Neon chrysanthemums. Open the door."

"You're still mad as moonbeams..."

River vaults the stair-rail, right over his gorram head, and he's still ducking back when Mal comes down the stairs. Never knows what the Captain was about to say, because there is a thunderous clang on the hatch.

Mal, frowning, goes to open it.

"Captain Reynolds."

Tanaka, alone.

"Thought we were done, Tanaka."

The man gives a bow that carries very little servility.

"I speak of what may only be an ugly rumour, but there are those who do not look kindly upon any independent trade. If you have any concern for Ms Donovan, it might be well to move her from the path of the storm."

(Jayne looks at River.

"He tellin' us Larji's in trouble?"

Blue eyes meet dark.)

"What in hell..." Mal is confused, wary.

"I...feel an obligation upon me, Captain. None you would understand...but we are both honourable men, in our way."

Gone again in a swirl of red and black.

Textbook enigmatic.

Mal closes up the door. He don't feel good about it, any of it. Tanaka ain't a man to blow smoke. But he's got a ship to fuel, crew to feed, and can't run after rumour.

"Does anybody understand what just happened?"

He's speaking to an empty bay.

_Serenity'_s engines keen, a tearing violence that shakes him, knocks him to one knee.

0000

_On a small green world, an aircar is being fuelled. Two men, stamping their feet._

"_Cold as witch's tits here."_

"_Warm up soon enough." Nasty laugh, and a hand slaps a crate, which clinks. "You have the co-ordinates?"_

"_Loaded in. Why are we trudging out to some one-eye town?"_

"_Someone crossed the boss. Needs to come and have a word." Pause. "It's a woman."_

"_Oh-hoh." Meagre light flickers on a blade, catches the edge of a tongue._

"_Wants her alive. And we don't touch." (Other man spits.) "Not until...after."_


	13. Wicked Game

13. Wicked Game

Mal makes it up the stairs, swearing blood and vengeance. Finds Zoe, looking as confused as he does. No alarms sounding, but the ship is pushing fast as she'll go.

"Thought you said that crazy _liu mang_ couldn't fly the gorram ship?"

"He can't, and you know it." Zoe's checking her gun automatically as they go.

Mal curses again, swings himself into the infirmary.

"What's happening, Captain?" Simon's collecting up scattered items from the floor. One of 'em's Kaylee. "Why did we take off in such a hurry - have we got trouble?"

"We have. Your sister's done taken it into her head to try some aerobatics, and I think she may have company persuading her."

Simon does on occasion swear.

0000

Simon runs up the stairs to the bridge, comes back out through the doorway near as fast, with a pistol at his nose. It's Jayne has a piece trained on him.

"One squeak to stop her an' I stop you. Tell 'em, girl."

Mal finds himself looking to River. Girl could feed Jayne his own arm without blinking, but she gives him a swift glance, slight move of her head, 'no'.

"Use this launch window or we lose the optimum proximity. Orbital trajectory indicates...three hours, full burn. Got to go now, Captain."

"Went and rescued Inara - how's that different, Mal? An' don't tell me she was crew, 'cos she never was. Went and got her 'cos she was your woman. Well, Larji's mine. Tried asking reasonable, an' you laughed at me. You wanna laugh now?"

"Do I look like I think this is funny?"

"Hell, you can ruttin' well shoot me when we land, but I'm putting this on you. You get her safe, Mal."

Zoe's edging round, trying to get a line on him. Mal gives the word, she'll drop him. Gun twitches.

"You get your hands where I can see 'em, Zoe."

There is a moment when it could all go to hell. Someone is going to end up with a bad case of dead, and Mal don't want to see anyone go down. Jayne's eyes are cold, unblinking...red-rimmed and pain in the grim set of his jaw. The big man looks like to lose it, and bullets in the bridge are gonna get them all breathing a whole lot of nothing. Zoe would take him down in a beat, but there's been enough blood on this floor.

Mal stops fighting it. Thinks on Ilargia, tough and funny, sitting at ease in their kitchen, cooking in her own. Jayne ain't happy without her.

"Zoe, fall back."

Time enough to look like an idiot later. River is rarely wrong, if rarely coherent. Jayne wavers. Behind him River sways again. Can't tell if it has happened or if it will happen. Trying to hold onto time and place, and fly several hundred tons of complaining metal.

"Sir..."

"Fall back."

"No guns." River sounds distant. "She needs us."

"Stand down." Mal makes a move towards her, checks as the gun swings his way. "We ain't got so many friends in the 'verse we can afford to have people troublin' them. Kaylee, go get what you can out the engines. Doc, we made need to call on you..." If only to dope Jayne up.

"We're going?" Only thing holding Jayne upright seems to be the grip he's got on his gun.

"We're going. Go an' get some sleep before you fall down."

"I can't sleep..."

"No use to her if you're a wreck."

But he won't go. Props himself against the wall back of the bridge, still tweaked. Won't believe them until he sees it.

Zoe puts her gun up. Relief under the stone. Mal had said, she would have shot him. But it would have been something to trouble her, the times she does let the demons out of their cage. They got three hours travelling, she's gonna get some sleep, even if Jayne don't.

0000

Mal looks at River. Seen Jayne do a lot of dumb things, and pulling a gun on her is right up there. But...she let him do it.

"What the hell is going on?"

"_Giri._ Tanaka-san was embarrassed, angry that his hospitality was abused, shamed that you knew of it. But you sent a subordinate to deal with it, saving his face. So he must do you a favour in return."

"That...still makes precisely no sense."

He's missed his little albatross. Strange little girl is his compass, steering him through dangerous waters. Missed her sweet smile, her screwy little perceptions.

"I'm not a fortune cookie." Missed that scowl of hers, too. The one that tells him he's being a dumbass.

River tries not to smile. She knows that this is the right thing to do. Can feel it, in the place where the needles live. Still has bad days, but she can walk between the shadows now. Touches the minds around her for reassurance. Feels Mal's confusion.

"Why did you let him do this?"

"Why did you?" River asks back. She looks at him, and something moves in her expression. "Doing something stupid to keep the woman you love nearby, even for a little while...well, that's the kind of stupid I don't mind." Eyes focus again. "You know it, Captain. It's in your head."

Mal does know it.

"Just fly the boat, River."

Heading into who knows what, with a lust-crazed idiot holding a gun on him, and his little crazy person at the helm.

Just another day on _Serenity_.

0000

Jayne does go to sleep, eventually, sprawled against the back wall. But he's still armed, and Mal knows better than to try and wake him suddenly. Man has good instincts, but he's also got no reason to be nice to anyone, 'specially Mal. Not after the last few days.

"Not one of your soldiers. He never had to stay, never had to follow. Wanted a place to belong."

"He tried to turn you in, River."

"He was trying to protect you." Has he never seen this? No, he hasn't. "I wasn't crew, then. Only one strong enough to do what might have to be done."

(Another secret. This is theirs.

"If...I go crazy again, on _Serenity,_ would you shoot me down?"

Blue eyes are cold, clear and honest.

"In a gorram heartbeat, girlie."

"Promise me?")

"He's a gorram fool."

"He's a man." River smiles. "More than dirt and bullets, Captain."

0000

Hitting atmo, and the ship buffets. Hecate's a mean bitch and she's pitching a fit. Jayne comes awake, to his feet and gun level in one movement.

Scariest thing. River's face goes blank for a second. Only Mal sees her lips move...

"_Like a leaf on the wind..."_

Body language _changes._ Jaw sets, eyes slightly narrowed, flips three switches without looking. Mal has never believed in possession, doesn't want to start now. Glad as all get Zoe ain't on the bridge. But _Serenity_ levels, and a teenager with no flight training is taking them flat down through hellish weather like she's never done anything else.

Jayne loses his tight stance, looks just spooked. He crowds up the back of the co-pilot's chair. (Not until later, that they discover that he's gripped so hard, chair back's broke.)

Ship kisses dirt, like a feather drifting. For a second River gives Mal a cocky grin that he knows, then she slumps over the controls with a gasp.

"River..."

"We're down." River (again?) Eyes snap open, stark terror, and she turns to Jayne. "Run. They burn witches."

Somewhere out in the night, there's an explosion.


	14. House Burning Down

_ Hendrix. Because of the last verse...It's Big Damn Hero time._

14. House Burning Down

Place is on fire, an' then some. Jayne don't even slow down.

A weeks' worth of booze and brawling pull at his muscles, and he pushes it away. No time. He ain't pulled his whole life down around him to lose her like this.

Smell of burnt sugar heavy on the air, ash blown in the icy wind. _Chou ma niao _place like this ain't even got a fire service, he'll bet, gonna be a mess of folks with buckets, and that ain't enough. Still fires burn fierce and fast, and he has a picture in his mind of them rows of bottles.

Windows are blown, crazed from the heat, but the roof is still intact. Means the upper floor should still be there. Long as the stairs hold...

Tearing off a sleeve, dragging it through the snow, wrapping it over his mouth. Door's designed to keep out most things, but not six foot four of determined and frightened mercenary. Nothin' fancy, just a shoulder into it, takes the lock out of the frame. Prays to anyone may be listenin' as he dives into hell.

Kitchen ain't nothing but a firepit, timbers of the wall blown in and the plumbing skewed from the wall. Takes it in, in a glance. Blast's thrown the furniture over and it adds to the chaos, smell of burnt horsehair and feathers, and books flutterin' like wounded birds.

Three of his strides in to the left and the bottom stair, there's twelve, take 'em two at a time, second door on the right and please God let her still be breathin', let the floor hold, let the gorram floor hold, hot even through his boots, feeling the hairs on his arms crisp in the heat, but there's the door through the smoke...

0000

Mal can't even take the time to swear after him - he's too busy.

"Reckon on the gorram still..."

Gunshots over the flames, distinctive.

Mal and Zoe look to each other. Then, like old times, Zoe low and fast, sweeping right as he goes left.

Somewhere ahead of them, an aircar lifts off, listing heavily to starboard and limping fast back to Southam. A few more shots follow it, then a voice yells,

"Hold your fire - I'm puttin' up my gun."

Man comes out of the trees, rifle above his head. It's Jenner.

"Figured that was your bird coming down..."

Behind them the roof goes, in a gout of flame and cinders, and suddenly, they are all running, mindless, helpless, hopeless.

But a small figure is heading towards them, stumbling and gasping. Runs straight into Mal, clutches at him.

Kaylee, near sobbing, she's so breathless.

"He...got...her."

0000

The house can't be saved. All they can do is make sure the fire doesn't spread into the woods. The weather helps, the winter drizzle closing its fist upon the fleeing heat. Word has spread that Ms Donovan is safe; already the story of her dramatic rescue is being told and retold. Jayne's gonna have himself a proper legend out of this one.

"I don't reckon that fella was alone." Jenner gnaws his lip.

"Think we should look a bit more carefully, sir?" Zoe is still alert.

"I do."

And it's not difficult, after all. Mal finds him out through the back wall, groanin' some in the dirt, where he didn't move fast enough when the still blew. Can't get his gun levelled before Mal has his upside his head.

Being mindful of the fire, Mal twists a hand in the man's collar, drags him round to dump him in a dazed heap by _Serenity's_ ramp.

"Found someone here might know something about it."

Jenner looks down at him.

"He ain't local." Frown deepens. "Juno had a fire at her place last week. Reckon I'll go tell Elspeth. This may be more'n a firebug."

"We'll dump him in the hold for now." Mal stirs him with a boot. "He ain't running no place on a broken leg."

0000

Mal heads straight for the infirmary, rousts the doctor to look at their captive. Peers in through the window.

Ms Donovan looks near River's age, dark hair spread over the pillow. Thin nightshirt shows the delicate line of her collar bone, and her face is pale, smudged with ash.

Beside her bed, a tired man, worry etched in the lines of his face, the set of his shoulders, as he sits, hands hung between his knees. Knuckles clasp, and he bows his head...

Quietly, Mal backs away. This ain't the time.

0000

Doesn't have to look far for his other mutineer. Curled like a kitten in the pilot's chair.

"Stopped being a mutiny when you took the comm."

"Should have come to me first."

"But I'm crazy and he's Jayne." Tilt and look. "Came and rescued me from fire once." Sorts the images, finds the one fits the shape in his mind. "His heart was calling to her. Can't stop the signal. But if we had been later..." Dark eyes suddenly wash with tears, "Broken like me, then. And nobody to care about putting his pieces back together."

Her simple, skewed view of the 'verse. But Mal don't want to imagine that outcome.

"You can read over that distance?"

River shakes her head.

"His heart was very...focused."

"Don't sound like his heart, then." Mal starts to grin. So does River, wipes her eyes.

"Trying to be poetic about it. He does love her."

"That I don't doubt, _mei-mei. _Now, don't you go hiding off again - need my pilot getting proper sleep." _I don't want you stowed somewhere I can't get to you, anything happens._

Cardiac rhythms strangely affected by the curvature of his mouth muscles...River's thought process is interrupted by a yawn.

0000

She peers round the door to where Jayne is keeping his vigil. He looks at her, doesn't even try and hide the worry. No point with the cr...with River. Jayne's never gonna be mean to her again - girl's a gorram blessing.

"Got to be epic. Jumped the ring of fire for his lady." She whispers, grins. "Big Damn Hero."

"What was I s'posed to do?" Never been a proper hero before - Canton don't count. Still makes him itchy under his skin, thinking on that. Don't even know how to start thanking her. She knows.

"Family now. We all take care of each other."

"You...forgiven me?" They've never spoken of it, but it's in his mind, a thorn of shame.

"Broken then. Scared you. Scared me. Won't do it again. I know." She knows how he needs reassurance. Leans and kisses him on the forehead. "Forgiven."

Jayne actually blushes.

"Gonna get me in trouble, kissin'."

"Not my prince. Still a frog." River smiles at him, and stumbles sleepily off.

0000

Ilargia wakes up. Since the last thing she remembers with any clarity is her house blowing up around her, she's confused as to the where. White and clean, bright lights in the ceiling. Finds she can move her head sideways. Something not white and clean. Something very big and grimy and smoke-stained, all six foot plus and snoring.

"Jayne?..."

Snort and a grunt, hand going for a weapon...yeah, that was him.

"Larji..._hey, doc, she's awake_!" The last at considerable volume.

"And so is everybody else, now." Simon grumbles as Jayne hustles him in. He gets in the way considerable as the doc tries to work.

"She gonna be okay?"

"Minor smoke inhalation. There'll be a sore throat for a couple of days."

"So why does my jaw hurt?"

Jayne shifts uncomfortably.

"You were a mite panicky. Hadta knock you out to carry you." Large, calloused paw hovers by her cheek, drops away. "Tried to be as gentle as I could, honest."

Simon stifles a grin. A mite panicky didn't even begin to describe the state Jayne had been in. Ilargia coughs herself into a sitting position, rests back against Jayne's ready arm.

"What happened?"

"Your house caught fire." Simon finishes washing his hands. "And Jayne here got you out."

Bravest, dumbest, scariest thing he's ever seen. Which just about sums up Jayne, really.

"He ran into that." Not a question. Looks up at him, puts her hands on his chest. "You. Utter. Bloody. Maniac." Then they are in each other's arms.

"What are you doing back here?"

"Came back to see you."

"To see me?" Pause, as she digests this. Then, speculative, "Miss my cooking, then?"

"Missed you, so stop fishin', woman."

Simon attempts to exert his authority in his own infirmary.

"She needs to rest." They aren't listening. "She needs to be in bed." Oh, god, that was the wrong thing to say. Jayne's grin is dreadful.

"You heard the doc."

Neither of them even supposes that Ilargia will sleep in the passenger dorm. In Jayne's mind, only one place for his woman to be, and that's safe in his arms. Ilargia is tired, frightened and confused - but everything can wait until later, because here and now, they are alive. And he's come back to her.

0000

"Well, that was a bracing sort of day." Mal slumps wearily into a chair. Streaks of soot on his face, but the edges of a grin round his mouth. Eyes are tired, but alive again. Zoe pushes over a cup of coffee. Beside her, Kaylee droops. Relief leaves exhaustion in its wake.

Simon walks in, looking a little wild eyed, and they all look to him, past him.

"How is she?" Zoe and Kaylee.

"Where is she?" Mal.

"I threw them out of the infirmary before they broke the couch, Captain. I don't want to know where they are."

From someone who has been known (and seen) to be a little too 'hands-on' in the engine room, Mal finds this amusing.

"I'm assumin' she's well and healthy, then."

"She was until the ape-thing dragged her off." Simon shakes his head, but he's beginning to grin. "I wouldn't have believed it, if I hadn't seen it. He came storming out of the flames with her slung over his shoulder like something out of...a space opera."

"The man has his moments."

"It was just somethin' wonderful, Cap'n." Kaylee pushes herself to her feet. "Jayne's a real hero. An' if you still want to chuck him off the boat after that, then you're a...beast!"

Kaylee being fierce is a bit like being savaged by bunny rabbits. Mal hides a smile.

"Nobody is goin' anywhere they don't want to. Now you go get some sleep, darlin'. This rescuin' caper's got you all crotchety."

She gives him a glare somewhat ruined by a large yawn, and takes herself off. Simon makes a vague gesture, disappears off to his own bunk.

"You meaning it, about not throwin' Jayne off?" Zoe asks.

"I meant it about no-one goin' any place they didn't want. He wants to be with her, they're gonna have to think on the where."

"So, we could be losing our gun hand. Or..."

"Or?"

"We could try to hire ourselves a cook." Zoe smiles over her mug. "I ain't much of a hand in the kitchen, and neither are you, sir."

Mal thinks on it. There's wisdom in it, as there usually is.

"Can't see the rest of the crew kicking much on it." Especially one of 'em. "But she's got a life here."

"Which someone tried endin'. You drop her back, they'll maybe try again. Safest place for her is off the planet." And anyone wants a piece of her would have to go through Jayne, which would give most pause.

Mal nods. It could work out. Zoe watches him.

"Needn't be forever." She knows how to play him. "And it keeps our field strength."

If it weren't for the fact that this was Zoe, Mal would have suspected some streak of romance. Hard-headed common sense he can cope with. She sees the idea take hold.

"I'll ask her, soon as she escapes his clutches."

"And you're reckoning on that being when?"

"Even Jayne gotta eat. I'll ambush them at breakfast."

Zoe smiles to herself. _Wash, baby, wish you could have met the woman made Jayne into love's own fool. Just 'cos we didn't get our time, don't mean they can't have a shot._

0000

Ilargia rests her elbows on his chest, where she can look into his face.

"Jayne...why are you here?"

"Told you. Came back for you. Near burnt the gorram engine out getting here." Shaky chuckle. "I put a piece on half the crew, too. Mal's gonna rip that outta my hide."

"You hijacked the ship?"

"I...hurried it along some. Didn't have time to ask nice." Can't even finish that thought, just crushes her up. "Hell, woman."

She shivers in his arms. He clears his throat, continues,

"Anyways, I was fixin' to come back. Sometimes I ain't too bright." he confesses. "Took River yellin' at me to figure out what was wrong. I should never have left you in the first place."

"Oh, yeah?" She's teasing. "Why would that be?"

"'Cos I love you." He's not. Eyes are scared and sincere. "Heh. I've never bin in love before, dunno if'm gonna do it right."

"You're doing fine." She finds her voice, can't trust it completely.

It's going to be far too easy to love him back, crude and tough and tender as he is. Because this big thug hijacked a damn starship and ran into a burning building to save her. She's convinced.

She's missed his warmth, his strength, more than she believed she could. How can a mere couple of days bend a life so out of shape?

His fingers touch the bruise on her jaw.

"I...hittin' you...I weren't raised that way, knockin' womenfolk about. I feel sick about it."

"You were saving my life. I'll overlook it this once." Puts her thumbs up, smoothes out that little scowl between his brows.

"I ain't leaving you again."

"Won't let you leave me again."

She feels so right in his arms. Tomorrow, he'll have to face Mal. She'll have to face the wreckage. There will be decisions to make, questions to ask and answer.

Tonight, they have each other again. And that's enough for now.


	15. Cowboy Take Me Away

15. Cowboy Take Me Away

A man's got all sorts of bodily needs. Jayne reckons if he's real quick and quiet, he can fix them some mash, mebbe some coffee, get back down into his bunk before Mal...

"We got things to talk over."

_Go se._ Captain can walk real quiet if he has to.

"I know it."

Jayne ain't keen on facing Mal. There's an ugly word for what he did - called 'mutiny'. Hopes it'll be stranding rather than shooting - leastways, he'll be with 'Larji, but it ain't how he'd like to leave.

Mal looks at him. He's used to defiance and aggression from Jayne, but he can see uncertainty too, touch of fear, and more than a little misery. Can't find it in him to blame the man for his actions. And nobody would doubt his heart. Wasn't just the rescuing - Mal's seen him under gunfire and the like many times - no, it was the sitting and praying quiet-like in the infirmary when he thought no-one saw him. But there are things need sorting.

"You 'jacked my ship."

"Know that, too." Quick glance. "Weren't time to ask nice, or reasons you'd listen on."

"You saying I don't listen to my crew?"

"I'm saying you don't listen to me. Let me off the leash when you want killin' done, then it's 'back in yer bunk, Jayne, an' don't scare the ladies.' Bin on this boat near three years an' you trust to River more'n me."

"River never tried to sell us out." Hangs over the conversation like a poison cloud. Mal can see shame under the anger.

"I got stupid, once. Bin at your back solid 'fore and since. But that don't matter none, do it? 'M just the big gun with no feelings. Only person sees me as a man is her, Mal." Draws himself up. "I know what I done was wrong, but I had to do it." Swallows. "Reckon this ship has been more of a home to me than most, though. Ain't how I wanted to leave, but I gotta be with her."

"Ain't asking you to leave. And I ain't gonna shoot you, neither." Adds, as the eyes widen in panic. "Guess we're both kinda stubborn. But...I'm needin' your skills here. And I reckon we can find room 'mongst our waifs and strays for another, she'd care for it."

They look at each other. Two tired men, reaching an understanding. Jayne nods.

"Wasn't an accident, was it?"

"Why would you be thinking that?"

"'Cos I ain't totally dumb. An' I know Larji wouldn't leave a fire under the still unattended, 'cos she ain't dumb either."

Mal concedes that. First point might be debatable. Second isn't.

"We got ourselves a suspect right enough. But we need him to talk first." Adds hastily.

"Won't be a problem." The big man's expression scares Mal somewhat. "You need him alive afterwards?"

"River can pick the information out of his head..."

"Well yeah." Jayne turns his knife over in his hands. "But that ain't no fun for me, is it, Captain?"

"Doc's got him strapped in the hold."

0000

The doctor gives them an enquiring look as they stride down. They've collected up Zoe, too.

"Where's Ms Donovan?"

"She's asleep in my bunk."

"Hasn't the poor woman suffered enough trauma?" murmurs Simon. Jayne gives him a filthy look, but there's no malice in it, just their usual bickering.

"Your other patient well enough for visitors?" Mal asks.

Simon looks at Mal, and then at Jayne.

"He is at the moment." Sighs. "I assume that's going to change. I really can't know anything about this."

"Best take a walk outside, then. See if there's anything to salvage."

0000

Man just curses at them in a thick dialect.

"Better be a sight more forthcoming than that." Mal tells him. "I'm the patient one. Got a man here just itching to kill some folks for this."

Jayne looms up, and the man's cursing dies in his throat.

"Well, you ain't much to look on." Turns to Mal and Zoe. "You take your tender consciences outta here. You ain't gonna like this."

"You gonna let him torture that man to death?" Zoe sounds only mildly concerned.

"No, I'm gonna let him torture that man into some answers." Mal shrugs innocently, a man helpless in the face of circumstance. "Man's got a powerful need to hurt someone for this here situation, and I conjure it's as well on it not being me."

Mal gives Jayne a long look that says, 'don't kill him'. Jayne's look back says 'go away'. Mal does.

0000

Crew are experienced scavengers, picking over the burnt carcase for anything salvageable. There isn't much. What isn't burnt is sodden, and there are flurries of snow coming out of the iron sky. Kaylee finds the capture of Baphomet, but the screen is dark, cracked.

"Might be able to save the chip." Her voice is sad.

Simon's a bit choked himself - this was a place to be happy in. The great bathtub sticks up out of the wreckage, claws raised in mute appeal.

"We're not going leave her here, are we?"

Kaylee grins at him.

"I don't reckon on Jayne lettin' her go anytime soon. An' he never wanted to leave _Serenity._"

Simon sighs.

"And I was looking forward to some peace and quiet."

"Simon. This is us. We never get no peace and quiet. Oh...I found a spoon."

River cradles the burnt remnants of a book, mourns it. The loss of these will hurt more than the loss of boots, she knows. Not even frogs and turtles will make up for it...

0000

Jayne pulls up a crate, settle himself comfortably. All the while, the man is pulling on his bonds, swearing. Stops when Jayne pulls out his knife, and his eyes go very wide.

"You an' me are gonna have a talk." There is nothing at all of humour in the big man's smile. "Don't matter to me none if I can't understand you, neither. Long as you understand me."

Suddenly leans on the man's splinted leg. He screams. Jayne's smile widens.

"Just you an' me, right here." A little more weight. "An' that's a long way off from anyplace else. You're gonna squeal plenty."

"I tell you what you want."

"Found your tongue? Good, saves me reachin' down your throat for it. Now..."

0000

Mal is thoughtful, as he absently picks his way through a heap of cinders.

"I'm thinking this might be our fault, in some way."

"And how do you figure that, sir?"

"We broughta shipment in, and we didn't pay anyone for the privilege. And maybe that's not the way to do business here..." There's a piercing whistle from the ramp. "That didn't take long."

"Jayne can be a mighty persuasive man, he needs to be, sir."

They walk back.

"Our man works for a fella by the name of Carlton Wei Fen. Runs most everything dirty out of Southam." Jayne cleans his knuckles off, uncaring of the looks he's getting. "It was a two man team. But they didn't know about the still. Plan wasn't killing. Smoke her out, then take her back."

"Slaving." Zoe looks sick.

"Revenge. Woman's a thorn to him. She don't bow, so maybe she'd break." Jayne looks at Mal. "Tanaka was right - he don't like independent trade."

"Then I'm thinking Ms Donovan might know more than she's telling." Zoe says. Jayne growls at her. Mal pushes a hand into his chest.

"I'm thinking Badger might."

0000

"Badger."

"Captain Reynolds. As ever, a pleasure." Camera image isn't good enough for fine detail, and Badger normally looks shifty. "Now, I'm a busy man..."

"Ms Donovan."

Badger's grin loses a little of its manic intensity, becomes sly.

"Now what would be your interest?"

"Got a man here seems to think he's owed a cut of the business. Would you be mindful of this?"

"I would not." The grin drops. "What did you let that silly woman run herself into?"

"I...let...she's provoked a local low-life, name of Wei Fen."

"Never heard of him." Regains his mask. "Hazard of the business."

"Did you send me and my crew into another situation, Badger?"

"Swear on my mother's life, Mal. I was...professionally embarrassed over our last venture, and I don't care for that. Leaves me in bad standing, and I have a position to maintain in the community." Righteous indignation don't sit well on that face.

"'Cos no-one wants to walk into a snipe shoot, certain. That why you lined us up, Badger?"

"Doing you a favour, like I said. Ms Donovan's a real lady. I wouldn't send her out with just anyone, Mal. And I know you got a liking for women with fancy ways."

Mal looks at him, enlightened.

"You figured she'd annoy all hell out of me, didn't you?"

"That, too." Badger admits.

Ugly and unlikely little Cupid, in his bowler hat and shabby coat. Mal smirks.

"Wasn't me took a liking to her fancy ways, Badger. Best hope we don't find out you got a finger in anything, or Jayne's gonna kill you."

Cuts the wave on the spluttering.

"Badger was match-making?" Zoe's lips twitch.

"Seems to be that way." Mal don't quite know how to take that. Specially as it didn't work out.

0000

Jayne is trying to figure the best way of tellin' Larji she's got an enemy, when Kaylee bustles up with an armful of things.

"All we got clean an' spare."

"Huh?"

"She's gonna need something to wear, Jayne. You can't just keep her naked in your bunk."

Jayne glazes over for a moment.

"Why not?"

Kaylee slaps the bundle into his chest.

"Sometimes, you're just a big, dumb ape, Jayne Cobb." But it's the smile they've been missing the last little while. "We want to see her, too."

0000

She wakes reluctantly at the sound of their voices. Doesn't want to leave the warm nest of blankets - too much to face. Smells of him, which she associates with safety. Smells of smoke, too, which brings other things to mind, and she sits.

Can't make sense of what she does remember - fragments of darkness, shock, smoke. Noise becoming solid, slamming her over in glass and heat. Being grabbed by something huge...she'd obviously flailed some by the scratches on his neck. Touches her jaw with a wry grin, - "gentle as he could be."

She looks about her. Hadn't really taken in her surroundings before, being somewhat preoccupied with Jayne. Much neater than she might have expected. Only signs really that she's not in an ammo locker are the bunk she's sitting in - she looks with rueful amusement at the girlie pictures on the wall above - and an incongruous splash of colour in the crate behind his guitar.

There's a fuzzy toy turtle looking at her.

Ilargia blinks. No, still a turtle. Big, tough mercenary has a stuffed toy, looks like someone gave it a botched tracheotomy. She's staring at it, when Jayne slides back down the ladder, raises a quizzical eyebrow at him.

"Kaylee figures on you needin' some clothes."

Looks at her. Never had a woman in his bunk before. Small and tired and dirty, she's still the best sight he's ever seen. Bows her head briefly over the offering.

"Everything's gone, hasn't it?"

"Reckon so." He can't be doing with weeping women normally, but this is Larji, so he lets her soak the front of his t-shirt a while. Pats her back awkwardly. "You still got me."

Amazingly, this seems to be the right thing to say. She gives a weak, sniffling little laugh.

"How can I resist a man with a stuffed turtle?"

"Cunning, ain't he?" Sight of him grinning proudly at it makes her smile properly. "Now, get yourself washed up - there's other folks fretting on seein' you."

Ilargia squints into the little mirror he has for shaving.

"Not looking like this, they don't." Pulls her hair back. "You got a comb?"

Jayne watches her, content. Nothing secure in the 'verse - time's taught him that. But for now, she's fussing around in his bunk, safe and whole. An' there's nothin' gonna take her away from him, while he's got breath to fight it.

0000

The overalls have a rabbit on the pocket. But they are clean, and they fit well enough, if a little snugly. Once she's washed her face, she feels ready to face people. No-one has spare boots that fit, though, and the decking is cold on her feet as she walks, soundless.

Conversation she can hear is...interesting.

"I'll look after her, Mal - she won't take up room, can stay in my bunk..."

"Can't just pick her up like a stray kitten..."

"You suggestin' we drop her back in the ashes, then?"

"I'm suggestin' you ask her, 'stead of assumin'."

This seems like a good point to step in.

"Gentlemen, is this a private war or can anyone join in?"

Mal thinks she looks nearer River's age than ever, loose hair and bare feet.

"Should you be up yet?"

"Doc says I'm fine." But she allows Jayne to fuss her into a chair. "So who is this asshole tried to barbecue me?"

The two men exchange looks. She sighs.

"I'm not stupid. And I'm not careless. Someone blew up my still and I doubt it was the Revenue."

"Carlton Wei Fen. How'd you cross him?"

Her face changes. She knows that name.

"Declined to drink with him before I shipped out."

"Guess some men don't take rejection well." Mal says.

Look she gives him would drop a man not used to Zoe's glaring.

"Asked if I would be interested in doing a little business with him. Didn't take to his face." Her face becomes bleak. "So, I guess this is my own stupid fault, then?"

"Think you might have made yourself a bad enemy." Mal agrees.

"I say, we take this Wei Fen out." Jayne growls.

"Can't get ourselves involved in someone else's private business. 'Specially without an upfront payment. I'm downright surprised at you, Jayne."

"Man tried to kill my woman. Makes it my business." Jayne thumps a roll of notes onto the table. "I'm payin'."

"Put your money away." Mal pushes it back at him. "We ain't poking any more sticks into this hornet's nest."

"Best we all get ourselves off this planet, then, if you ain't gonna let me go kill him."

Ilargia looks at them. Her face has been darkening since the words 'my woman' came out of Jayne's mouth.

"At what point did this get settled?"

"Well, we ain't leaving you here."

"Were you actually going to ask me, or was I going to wake up in orbit?"

"You got no money, no home an' you've pissed off the local crime lord. Get some sense, Larji."

She gapes at him, and then the fight goes out of her. Jayne shifts his grip, pulls her into his arms.

"I'm gonna keep you safe, if I have to lock you up someplace. Now, stop fussin', woman. We'll fight about it later."

"We will." she promises him. But he holds her gently, and she rests against his chest.

"You ain't safe to be left on your own."

"Lot of dangerous things out in the 'verse."

"Yeah. One of 'em's me." (She believes that.) "Anyone comes at you again, I'll kill 'em." (She believes that, too.)

("Their first domestic." River counts to five. "Making up now.")

Mal had a speech all thought out. Had it in mind to tell her, tactful like, that she don't need to do nothing out of misplaced gratitude; she wants to get off on some Core planet, they'll take her and drop her off, no strings. But the way she's glued to Jayne's face suggests this may be redundant. Mr 'Don't-kiss-on-the-mouth' is making up for lost time, and she ain't exactly fighting him off.

Coughing tactfully don't work. So eventually he bangs on the table. They jump, but Jayne don't let go of her.

"Jayne. I need a word with Ms Donovan. Alone."

Ilargia stills the beginnings of a growl by putting her hand on his chest.

"Captain's orders. I'll be fine."

He retreats, but only out of sight round the corner.

"Looks like I'm fresh out of options here, Captain."

"You got friends here." It's half a question.

"People would take me in, but...Jenner's got kids. Elspeth's sixty-two. Mallie's pregnant. It wouldn't be safe for them, and we both know it."

Not like the Heart of Gold. Here, it's one lone woman in the ashes of her life, trying to keep the trouble from others. She's too clever to let pride stand in the way of common sense. He hopes.

"I got something for you to think on. We could use a cook on board."

There's a muffled whoop from outside in the corridor. Mal resolutely ignores it. Ilargia stifles a smile, and there is relief in her eyes.

"I don't want to involve you in this."

"Reckon it's a bit late for that, Ms Donovan. Got a man here taking your trouble real personal."

Her face softens.

"Did he really pull a gun on you?"

"Man's got no patience."

"Man's got no sense." But she's smiling.

"I've never seen him...he was gorram pining."

"So was I." Smile becomes a grin. Raises her voice a little. "Reckon I could sign on for a while."

There's a wild rebel yell, and Jayne crashes back into the room, sweeps her up in a hug.

Jayne's heart, he don't doubt. But he don't know hers. Could be she's just scared and looking for a safe berth. Somehow, he can't make that fit. 'Specially not the way she laughs at the big ape, cradling his grinning face in her hands and kissing that pointy nose.

"Put me down, you fool."

"Gotta go tell the others. Larji, darlin', we'll have us a fine time." Spins her once more, and heads out of the door, towing her by the hand. They can hear him yellin' for Kaylee.

0000

Breakfast is a noisy meal. Ilargia gets to hear exactly how she exited her house.

"So...you flung me over your shoulder, and carried me off half-naked in front of the entire town?"

"Weren't gonna wait for you to get pants on, woman."

"Oh, Jayne." What they can see of Ilargia's face behind her hands is scarlet.

"Is it the carrying off part or the half-naked part worrying you? Because it was really terribly dignified." Simon says cheerfully.

Kaylee thinks it's dashing and romantic and says so. Jayne smirks.

"Your boy's gonna hafta bulk up some more before he tries them kind of heroics."

Mal leans over, says quietly,

"So, you're really gonna let him crash back into your life and carry you off into space like some kind of prize?"

Ilargia wrinkles her nose with a rueful grin.

"Looks that way, Captain." Bats her eyelids at him. "Guess I'm just a weak woman looking for a strong man to take care of her."

Mal holds up his hands.

"I am not touching that one."

She looks up at him, suddenly serious.

"It didn't need this, you know." she says quietly. "He could have just landed back, said 'do you want to?' Does that shock you?"

"Surprises me some."

"Surprised me, too. But...I want to be with him."

"You'd give it all up for him?"

"Give up what? I've nothing to tie me anywhere I don't want to be, and the few skills I have are portable." Her face lights up with mischief. "Besides, I can't resist a man with a guitar."

Mal is trying to reckon what an educated, respectable woman from the Central Planets sees in a rough, uncultured thug. If he can figure it, perhaps it'll work out for him, too, some day. After all, he's smarter and prettier.

"Maybe she sees something in him we don't." Zoe has a knack of finishing his thoughts. "Weird and unsettling as it might be, maybe it is love."

He needs something stronger than coffee to be dealing with that notion.

0000

"_You left Cheng Shu behind? Dead?"_

"_I...don't know." Hong Da sweats with fear. "There was a ship."_

"_Nothing comes through the storms."_

"_This did. And there were soldiers. I was fired upon."_

"_So. A failure and a coward."_

_Carlton Wei Fen doesn't carry a gun. He doesn't need one. Palm slams out at heart height, and there is a noise, soft and solid at once._

_Hong Da chokes, a gout of scarlet, and Wei Fen takes the smallest step back to keep his shoes clean._

_A ship._

_He sits at his desk, calls up the link to the fuelling depot. Two ore freighters out of Nimway, domestic shuttles and - his finger pauses - a Firefly._


	16. Firestarter

16. Firestarter

There are a few issues to resolve...

"You can have your own bunk..."

"Thank you, Captain, but I think that may be another decision being taken out of my hands." She watches the small box of all that she has left in the world, disappear down the hatchway. "Excuse me, will you?"

Mal backs off. He reckons on finding something Captain-y to do elsewhere; there's fuel less combustible than that woman's face.

0000

"Jayne..." Ilargia puts her hands on her hips. "We need to get a few things straight."

"I'm listenin'..." With half an ear.

"What's all this 'my woman' _go se_?"

"'Course you're my woman. I'm your man, ain't I?" He fidgets his shaving things over. "Gonna have to get us a bigger mirror. You want somethin' with a fancy frame?"

Ilargia, mouth open to yell at him, stops short. She looks at the very large man standing in front of her, still looking a little singed around the edges, pistol on one hip, knife on the other, even now, putting out another toothbrush over the basin.

It really is that straightforward. The 'verse according to Jayne. Her man.

Jayne don't know why she's laughing. Seems simple enough to him.

"Just...a few things to get used to, is all." She pulls his head down, kisses him. "I thought you were being a macho _pi gu_ - should have realised you were just being...you."

"Knew I was gonna get this wrong..."

"You're getting it right. Mostly. Were you going to ask me before we took off?"

"Well, yeah, but I thought it was a kinda obvious choice."

He's not subtle. But he doesn't play games.

He will look after her, whether she wants him to, or not, best way he knows how. So there will be a later that they can fight about it in.

0000

Crew all have things to do, final prep, except their newest recruit. She stands at the edge of the cargo door, taking one last look at the planet that has been home for the last while, and that she's having to leave so suddenly.

"I conjure we'd best leave soon as we've finished fuelling..." Mal swings a cold eye in Jayne's direction, "Being as we burnt a deal getting here. Be needing that roll of bills you were flashin' earlier."

"'S'my money. I'll go an' pay." Jayne grumbles.

"Face like that, you'll probably get a discount." Ilargia pets him on the rear as he goes past, and he grins at her. They both watch him stomp off across the tarmac, disappears behind the cargo crates of the spaceport.

"All the men in the 'verse, and you go and pick that one."

"Only one ever ran into a burning building for me, Captain. A mere 'thank you' don't quite cut it." She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "Couple of weeks ago, my life was...ordinary. Dull. I jumped at the chance to get off planet for a while, do some travelling. Now some criminal bloody lunatic has torched my house, and I'm going to have to jump a deal more than I ever intended. Lucky that there are some compensations."

"Quit foolin', Gia. You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"I'm not. Didn't set out to go falling in love with some damn space pirate." Sighs. "Still would have liked to make a choice that was a choice."

He understands that. She gives him a wry grin.

"Captain...Mal," She puts her hand on his arm. "It's fine. Been taking care of myself a long time now. It'll be a novel experience having someone else try."

Mal looks at her. Getting a feel for her strength, now. Practical, cynical, with a wry outlook on the 'verse that sits comfortable with him. Woman's not a soldier, but she's a fighter. He leaves her to reckon it out for herself.

0000

Some salve to her pride that at least she is leaving with some sketchily defined purpose. She will be able to work her passage, and whatever arrangement she and Jayne come to will not be part of it. She was honest when she said to the Captain that she would have left with him if he'd asked her to, but there would always have been her home, her bolt-hole, if it had gone wrong. Now, she's about to jump, with no safety net.

Someone peering up the ramp, waving at her.

"Ms Donovan? I've got a message from Juno..."

Ilargia recognises the girl, vaguely. Pulls the name out of her memory; Sascha. Nice of Juno to say good bye - she regrets not having time to say any proper farewells. Walks down the ramp with a smile.

She's not expecting it. A strong arm round her neck, a pad of cloth over her face, stink...

0000

Jayne jogs back from the office, lighter in the pocket, but not caring too much. He's kept some back, enough to buy Larji something nice to wear, next time they stop anyplace. Something slinky, maybe. Or some more of them little heeled boots...

He's round the corner, and taking in the tableau before anyone can move.

Larji, hung limp in the grasp of some hard-faced _san ba,_ and three men who don't mean anything good.

Gun drawn, and into the mix before anyone gets a sight on him. Close quarter work, this, no space to get a decent shot off, 'less he can get the barrel up under a chin. Two of the men are big, hard-faced stevedores. He's got one down, when a foot lashes out, up under his wrist, and the gun goes spinning. Shock of numb fingers, and the boot continues up, takes him under the chin.

Jayne's had the boot put in before, but never from head height. He's still groggy, when arms round his neck, weight on his back, cloth over his nose. Smash back into the crates, but the world...

Wei Fen puts a boot on the fallen man's chest, regards him. Discards the gun.

"If he is so keen to come with us, we will oblige him." Sharks have warmer eyes. Wipes his mouth, regards the blood on his thumb.

None of his men venture an opinion. They would all prefer that their boss beat a stranger to death.

0000

Sascha picks herself up, dazed and bruised from being slammed into the crates. That monster was strong. She'd have put a bullet in him, not indulged herself. But Wei Fen likes pain, the way others like gambling. He doesn't even look at her, just tosses a roll of bills down, and walks after his captives. She would prefer it that way; not being noticed is how she works, after all.

She picks up the notes, counts them, face avid. Enough to get off this world, start again.

An olive hand over her mouth, and one sharp instant of pain as the blade takes her.

"May Amemait devour your heart."

0000

"Where'n hell have you been?"

"No time. Wei Fen has Gia." A handful of stained bills on the table. "Plugged our leak."

"_Ta ma de." _A pause. "Who?"

"Sascha."

"Oh..."

"There's more. He has one of the ship's crew, too. Gia's man."

"Then we may have allies. Time we ended this."

0000

Mal scowls out across the spaceport, worried.

"If those two are making out behind the crates..."

"Captain," Zoe, face calm, but eyes betray tension. "Found this over the end of the ramp."

Jayne's gun. Mal swears. Catches River as she careers down the ramp.

"Taken them...they're still alive. All made up of rage..." Panic in River's voice. "Their minds have gone...soft." Disorientation, jumbled images, make her nauseous. The city is a teeming mass of thoughts, signals getting lost in the ether...

"River." Mal's bruising her hands with his grip, but it steadies her, holds her in time and space. "What's happening?"

"Can't find them..." Eyes wide. "Found him. Smoke and anger." It's one of the nastiest minds River has ever touched. Sane, but vicious. Retches miserably. "He's not hurt her yet. Waiting for Jayne to wake up."

"That may be the dumbest thing that man has ever done." Mal is checking his gun.

There is no doubt in anyone's mind as to what has happened. Or what they will have to do now.

"We gonna be enough to do this, Sir?"

"Have to be."

"Captain." River's voice is quiet. "I can...be of use."

"River..."

"This is my truth, Captain. See it." She reaches out her hands, palms up. "I am more than a weapon, but the weapon is a part of me."

Mal ain't gonna discuss it. He don't want her to do this. _Little girl shouldn't have to..._

A small hand rests on his. Delicate and strong.

"I'm all grown up now, Captain. Pain steps closer while we argue." She ventures a smile. "So imagine that we have argued, and that I've won. I am a person, actual and whole. And the person chooses."

So much has been done to her against her will. But that will is still strong, shines in her eyes. She picks up Jayne's gun.

Simon sets his jaw.

"Captain..."

"I'm not discussing the merits of not takin' River..."

"Give me a gun, Mal." Holds out a firm hand. "I'm not sitting this out."

"You sure on this, Doc?" Mal's only slightly surprised. Doc's grown a deal in his time aboard. Every man has to make his own stand.

"I can point it in the right general direction." Simon ventures a small smile. "You need all the firepower you can. I can aim to misbehave."

"Long as you ain't aimin' at me." Mal hands him a pistol.

Gun feels strange in his hand, but not as awkward as it should do. Checks and loads with his usual calm precision. Kaylee bites her lip.

"You shouldn't hafta..."

"I do." He tells her gently.

"Brothers." says River softly. "Family take care of each other, even if they fight..."

"Reckon you'll take care of him." Mal says. That wasn't what River meant, but she doesn't argue. "Zoe, prep the mule. Kaylee, darlin', you gonna mind the wheel?" 'Cos while the doc don't look too out of place packin', it's just plain wrong on their little mechanic. Kaylee nods.

River raises her head. Points.

"Company's coming."

Small, fast craft bootleg turns into a gap barely wide enough.

"You needin' some extra firepower, Captain?" Juno has a gun near as big as Vera.

0000

"Had a deal of trouble, thefts, brawling...a fire, last week. Found out we had ourselves an insider."

"Someone sold you out."

"It has been...dealt with." Juno looks at Tiy, but the pilot says nothing more.

"The sphinx keeps her secrets." River sees the picture unfold in her mind."Saw them taken, but there was only one. Can't turn bullets into doves, had to watch." River and Tiy stare at each other. "But the traitor will be weighed, and wanting."

Juno and Mal are facing off over the table.

"Ain't interested in gang warfare. Just want our people back is all."

"Cut the head off a snake, body dies. I been waiting a while for my shot at this _cao ni xiao gou_, Captain. Gia is in the middle of this because of me. Bad enough he burns my business. He don't get to burn my friends. Wei Fen is street level scum. Extortion, prostitution, gambling. There's nothing here to tempt in off-world interest, so he gets a free hand." Juno snorts. "'Course, that keeps him pinned here, too. He'd like to be an intergalactic criminal, but he's just a local pain in the ass."

"So, if we step on him, ain't nobody gonna come after us? I'm liking this."

"He's no pushover. Got a building in the city, got guards and guns."

"Oh, we got guns." Mal's hand touches his pistol, once, lightly. "And we ain't a pushover, neither."

"He got your gun-hand, too?" Juno considers. "That's gonna be an interesting meet. Way I remember him, he ain't the type of man's gonna wake up sunny."

"If Wei Fen ain't shot him."

River shakes her head.

"Wants him to watch. Ringside seat."

Temperature drops several degrees.

"Keep the front occupied, we can maybe mount an assault through the back..."

"Land on the roof." says Tiy, quietly.

"Are you that good?"

"Flight lieutenant Tiy Fathy, 13th Airborne." The exotic eyes are calm.

"Screaming Phoenix." Mal's impressed. "I thought you were...disbanded on New Kashmir."

Tiy gestures to her foot.

"Some of us weren't there."

Disbanded. The remnants of the squadron had formed into a flying wedge, and taken down the Alliance command ship. The ultimate blaze of glory.

One guilty survivor looks at another.

"Aircar will only take three at a pinch, if you're wanting passengers."

Mal hesitates.

"Zoe..."

"I'll take the ground force." Dark glance. "Take River."

No time for anything resembling subtlety. The plan is simple, brutally effective.


	17. Violence

Warning - this chapter contains scenes some readers might find disturbing

17. Violence

Wei Fen stands in front of his desk, turning Jayne's knife over in his hands. Perhaps he'll kill the man with it, maybe after he's broken his fingers. Looks at the big hands, where they lie, wrists lashed to the arms of the wooden chair. Ankles are bound in a similar fashion to the legs. It amuses Wei Fen to enthrone his victims this way. The helplessness on their faces when they awake, the vulnerability.

His mouth curls a little as he looks at the other chair. He hasn't bothered to tie her ankles. He could kill her, but then he would lose any profit. And he wants her to know what is going to happen to her. A frown, as he remembers the look of disdain on her face, as she declined his offer. Insolent _biao zi_. He'll enjoy teaching her to obey.

A hoarse, hacking cough as the man wakes.

"Larji?"

Ah. A new play suggests itself. An extra humiliation.

"Do I understand that you have some interest in this woman?" Watches comprehension dawn, in the darkening eyes, swelling muscles. "I do not see it myself, but I have several men...anxious to meet her. The eyes fascinate them." Hard dispassionate fingers pull her chin up. "For the rest, an ugly white _san ba_ with no manners, but perhaps you can teach an old dog new tricks."

Reaches over to slap her face, hard, until the green eyes open.

This time, there is no comforting white when she awakes. The light is dim, the room warm, and the face in front of her anything but loving. He slaps her again, more for the fun of it. Laughs when she flinches away from his raised hand.

"Just a little rich girl from the Central Planets. I wonder how long she will last in one of my houses? Down by the docks, I think...all that education, and she'll be used by every man that can afford a drink."

Jayne uses words that even he'd forgotten he knew, strains against the rope. It bites his skin.

Wei Fen reaches out with the knifepoint, savours her fear. Hooks the zip in the overalls, draws it down. Walks behind the chair, hand up under her jaw, hard. Two quick strikes of the blade and her hands are free, but all she can do is seize in fear, as the knife point rests between her breasts.

"There is nothing you can do." Wei Fen digs his fingers in, and she chokes. "You are a weak, useless woman, and you should never have had the nerve to say no to me. You are going to learn that that is no longer an option for you." The pressure under her throat draws her up, until she is on tiptoe. Metal cold against her skin, and she is beyond terror, numb and sick. The worst thing is Jayne's eyes, anguished as he curses.

"Now, you get to watch me tame her." Slams her back over the desk, casual, powerful.

She struggles, kicks and gouges, but the pressure on her spine is brutal, and she can't breathe, iron fingers to show her just how helpless she is.

Jayne's growl is bestial.

Ropes don't give way. Whole chair does, in a shock of tearing wood joints.

Wei Fen's eyes widen. Backhands Ilargia into the corner and turns to face the threat.

Jayne swings at him. Doesn't even connect. Boot slams under Jayne's heart, and he feels the ribs go. Normally, people fall over at this point. Big man keeps coming, and only the swiftest reflex prevents a fist from doing more than graze his ear. Strike back hits a forearm still braced with the remnants of rope and chair. No element of surprise, this time. Another boot to the face, but Jayne rolls with this blow, and nearly has his ankle. Slashes out with the knife.

Jayne ain't gonna die with his own knife in his gut. Catches the forearm, uses the man's own weight to drive his hand into the desk. Blade spins free, and now it's hand to hand.

Wei Fen has a brief qualm. He can beat this man to death, but he has to stay out of range of those hands to do it. He has speed and precision, but the monster won't go down.

Man's simply _everywhere_, fists and feet. But Jayne's good in a brawl, none better he knows of, and this is a fight he cannot, will not, lose.

0000

Mal looks at the aircar. It's tiny. A mere shell of metal, two seats in front of a cargo space, skeleton controls. Most of the weight is the two gimballed engines under the short backswept wings. It gives the impression of speed, just standing there.

"I'm gonna be sitting on a gorram firework."

"Not unless the nitrous oxide goes up." Tiy straps in. "Had to take the plating off for lift."

They got plenty of lift. Mal lets out a sound nearer a squeal than anything dignified, as the framework leaps skywards. River laughs.

He's sitting in a gorram basket. Woman is one hell of a pilot. River, crouched in the cargo space behind their seats, is watching with avid eyes. Mal can feel her concentration, bowstring eager. Tiy, who limps on the ground, quiet and contained, blossoms in the air, a fierce hawk of a woman, the controls an extension of her long hands. The craft responds to her slightest gesture. Mal doesn't look down - the floor isn't. But somewhere beneath them, the mule is following them.

Through the canyons of the streets, fast and hard. People running, peering from their balconies, to see what the hell just went past the windows. Mal doesn't think he's drawn a breath since the nose tipped. Sheer wall coming up in front of them, and Tiy hauls back. Engines tilt and so does the horizon.

Five storeys, and the windows don't begin until the third. Graceful pagoda roof lines belie the ugliness of the owner, provide a narrow walkway they can just fit on. River stands on the edge, looks over. Mal doesn't. Tiy is prising off a duct cover.

"Valkyrie, this is Phoenix. We are at the drop zone."

"_Phoenix, this is Valkyrie. I'm gonna knock on the door."_

0000

Juno steps into the street, and the guards on the door dive for cover. She's the only one strong enough to lift the bazooka. Zoe grins tightly; Jayne had been saving that for a special occasion. He calls it 'Rosebud'.

"Hello boys!"

WHOOMPH!

0000

Building shakes. Wei Fen is unbalanced long enough for Jayne to get a palm strike in, follow it up with a brutal kidney punch. Gives a heart blow back that brings Jayne to one knee. He kicks out, no finesse, just power.

0000

Most folk are running to see who just blew the front doors in. There's a handful of deeply rattled men holding position. One peers round a corner, meets the butt of Mal's pistol coming the other way. Tiy kicks another in the throat. With her right foot. He doesn't get up again.

By the sound of it, River's just happening to some folks weren't expecting it. Tries not to kill, but her maiming is sure effective.

Made for this. Designed and trained for this. But - grown beyond what they ever meant her to be. This knowledge stirs within her, powerful. Sings in her heart. They have no power to make her kill for them; that lies within her own hands.

Killer angel dances. Precision and grace in every line, as she takes out kneecaps and elbows. Minds flare in shock and pain, but they only dim, they don't go out. Drives them before her, down the stairs and into hell.

0000

Nobody gets paid enough to face soldiers. They are used to beating up shopkeepers or bar owners, to swaggering down the streets without opposition. Now, they seem to be caught between the forces of nightmare and destruction. The ground floor is a killing zone.

There are more folk outside now. And they haven't come to gawp. Word is out, that someone is taking a stand. Step on people too many times, one day they're going to bite up through your boots. One of Wei Fen's men tries to make a run for it, and a local store keeper fells him with a broom. Never gets a chance to get to his feet again, as the mob close in.

Rattle of gunfire. Simon swallows, aims low. These aren't reavers; these are men. Beside him, Zoe has no such compunction, making every shot count. Juno hefts her own gun, looses off a dozen rounds and a string of profanity.

0000

Sound of gunfire. Sound of distant shouting. Sound of hoarse breathing, solid impact of meat on meat.

Ilargia, bruised, scared, disorientated, pulls herself up by the desk.

She sees a figure out of a nightmare, eyes pale fire in a crimson mask of rage. Teeth bared in a snarl, lunging forward at a black-clad shadow that dances out of his reach.

Her man, still trying to fight, though he can't see, coughing blood. He won't quit, he'll never quit, hasn't the gorram sense. That little piece of _go se_ will break every bone, and enjoy watching him drown in his own blood.

Jayne's great knife, heavy under her hands, and she doesn't even pause, a long lunge and drives the blade up.

A lifetime ago, she fought with a blunt sword for trumpery medals. Played with toys in a world that didn't know indignity, or fear, or pain, or loss. She knows all of these, and she will not let this...creature take anything more from her.

Keeps his blades sharp. Cloth and flesh and muscle.

An instant of distraction. And that is all that is needed. Light is already dimming in startled eyes, when Jayne gets both bloodied hands on Wei Fen's jaw, and the sound makes her lose her stomach.

Killed a man with his bare hands. Not the first time, and thank the Lord, won't be the last. Blood in his mouth, and he can't hardly open his eyes. He's in a world of pain. But it's his Larji he can hear, swearin' at him. Getting old, 'cos no-one's got a drop on him for years ('cept River, an' that's different - girl's a crazyass super weapon...) Beaten all to hell, an' he couldn't protect Larji, but she don't need protectin', just stuck that _hun dan_ good...now, she's wipin' his mouth, gentle hands, and he manages her name. Kissin' and cryin' and callin' him all kinds of fool, but she don't let go. She don't let go. Scolds her.

"What d'you think y'were doin'? Killin's my business, not yours."

"I won't do it again." Shaky kiss on his forehead. "Now shut up, love...no, don't try sitting up, you idiot..."

Sight that greets Mal when he darts a look around the doorframe. Ilargia cuddling up a sorry mess that might be his hired gun, and a dead guy. Woman's in shock, and Jayne's in pain, but there's bleedin' and swearin', two good signs of life.

0000

"Jayne ain't the only one can do heroic rescuin'." Mal puts his coat round her. "Learnt all he knew from me."

She flinches under his careful touch, fumbles her zip up. It's River who puts a gentle arm round her shoulders. She won't sit back in the chair, stays kneeling near Jayne, but the shivering slows.

"You took your own sweet time gettin' here." Jayne spits another mouthful of blood. "You stop for tea and dumplings on the way?"

"Had to pick up some friends." Mal taps his earpiece. "Zoe, we got 'em. We'll need the doc."

"Ready to fall back." Shots in stereo, earpiece and real time.

"Gorram idiot tied me to a wooden chair." Jayne is still trying to sit up. "They always wanna talk, 'stead of killin' a man, sensible like." Turns his blinded face in Mal's direction. "You look after my woman, yeah? Jus'...gonna pass out now."


	18. Always

18. Always

Ilargia, looking down into the darkened cargo bay. No big merc with his weights, just her and her thoughts. Mal imagines they might be a little confused at the moment. No visible marks on her, save some bruising on her face.

Distant sounds of gunfire still, but it ain't their concern. Juno and an increasing number of enthusiasts are hunting the remnants of Wei Fen's criminal organisation through the streets. He certainly won't be back to bother them, 'cept maybe in nightmares. They all got those.

"You don't have a reason to run, any more."

"I know. You throwing me off your ship, Captain?"

"No. Saying you got your choice now, is all."

"I know that, too."

He waits a moment.

"You've seen what he is, now. Seen him kill. Got to have scared you some."

"Seen what I am, too, Captain. It wasn't him that used that knife."

Mal blinks. Took him some time to work Jayne's knife free; a deal of hate put the blade in that deep.

"A long way from where you began."

"Can't be a wilting flower for ever, not out...not here." She opens her hand, looks at it. "I found out how far I will go."

"It needed doing. Our kind of life, well, it ain't too safe, Gia."

"If I'd wanted to be safe, I'd have stayed on Londinium." Smile she gives him is serious, genuine and there's something oddly like peace in her eyes.

"Gia..." Simon's exasperated, "He's awake..."

0000

Jayne has managed somehow to get himself sitting on the side of the medical couch, despite Simon's protest. Even without the blood, he's less than pretty. Strapped up and scowling fit to bust his stitches. One arm in a cast, other one cradling his ribs, body a map of welts and bruises. Can only really see out of one eye, and that fixes on her with a look of purpose.

"I remember someone told me Captains could marry folk back on Earth-That-Was, so that'll do 'til we find us a preacher."

"Jayne..." Sheer surprise stops her dead.

"I ain't foolin'. Kicked about this 'verse too damn long. Been through blood and fire for you, woman." Catches his breath, puts out a hand. Two fingers splinted, knuckles torn. "I ain't much, I know, and my kinda life, well, it ain't too steady, but...I reckon I can be good to you, you let me try. We can get off some place else, try and be regular folk, if you're wanting to, but don't turn me away, Larji - I got no place to be if it ain't near you."

Nothing to do, nothing to say to that. Except to step up and try and find a patch of skin 'tween the damage. Not that he'll have any of that, crushing kiss that makes him cuss even as he holds her.

"I tried being regular folk - drove me crazy. I think I'd prefer to be _Serenity_'_s_ cook." Her wicked grin, as she cups his bruised face in her small hands. "And your woman."

0000

Big, battered wreck of a man, but if his grin gets any wider, top of his head's gonna fall off. Small, neat woman in the curve of his good arm. Mal sighs.

"We got ourselves a cook, then?"

Ilargia grins at Mal, too.

"Reporting for duty, Captain."

Mal points at her sternly.

"No matter how much he begs, you don't go making him chilli 'less we're dirtside, _dong ma_? Air filters can only take so much."

"I'm going to be sharing a bunk with him, Captain. I'm not suicidal."

"Told you, you can have your own..."

"We're getting wed." Jayne interrupts bluntly. Kaylee goes off like a steam whistle, makes Simon drop the tray he's holding.

Ilargia shrugs.

"I've no objection to living in sin, but my man's...insistent."

"Not having you leaving me, first fancy planet we get to." Jayne grumbles comfortably. "You're my woman, an' I'm keepin' you."

"Oh, that ain't right." Mal moans. Kaylee is all set to squeal their eardrums raw, hugging everyone she can reach.

River elbows Kaylee aside to hug Ilargia, too.

"Can't walk away from this one. Expert tracker." she tells her. "He'll walk right after you."

Ilargia doesn't look too scared by this.

"Talk about a whirlwind courtship..." Zoe murmurs.

"Wrecked homesteads, traumatized and dazed people in the wake...I think the metaphor holds." Simon.

"They are a healthy role model for the observation of emotions." River tells him.

"Oh, no. River, I absolutely forbid you to regard Jayne as anything but an awful warning."

River grins, takes a belligerent stance, growls,

"My heart ain't none of your business...kid."

"See...he's an appalling influence..."

In the centre of it all, Jayne and Ilargia are happily absorbed in each other's mouths, heedless of their audience.

Zoe starts to smile, a full, rich smile. Mal gives her a quizzical look.

"What?"

"I'm remembering the fuss Wash's momma made when we got wed." (Mal gets it, starts to smirk.) "Somewhere out there, those two people are gonna have in-laws."

0000

_FADE TO SUEDE..._

_Credits; Blink-182, Cole Porter, Stealers Wheels, Depeche Mode, Green Day, Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves, Johnny Winter, Robert Plant, Chris Isaak, Jimmy Hendrix, Dixie Chicks and the Prodigy._

_Like Joss, I think names are important; Ilargia is the Basque moon goddess, and queen of witches. And I have a weakness for puns...even in other languages. _

_Rest of it is a cultural grab-bag out of the unstable recesses of my mind. There's more where this came from. After all, Ilargia has yet to meet Inara. Or the Cobbs. _


End file.
